Tuesday, January 26, 2016

How Well Do You Maintain Balance?

It's hard to believe January 2016 is almost over! I set many goals for myself (e.g. getting organized). I wanted to start a new blog (and I did), get into a new exercise routines ...

Of course there was also that piece of furniture to be moved so to clear out space. Although James got help from a friend, I was there by their side to help. I only helped a little but I hurt my back!

Living and working in the Silicon Valley could be quite stressful. There are so much to do in every area of our lives. Many of us like excitements yet sometimes we are tired and wish life would be less stressful, less hectic, and more predictable (not in a boring way), more peaceful, and in other words, more restful.

What does balance mean to you? If trying to maintain balance in your life makes you feel like a tightrope walker, you're not alone. Most of us have so many demands on our time and energy, life can feel like a three-ring circus. Take this quiz to see how well you are meeting responsibilities, while also recognizing and fulfilling personal needs and wants.

True False
[ ] [ ] 1. The only way I can successfully manage my life is to take care of myself physically and emotionally.
[ ] [ ] 2. Nurturing myself enlarges my capacity to help others.
[ ] [ ] 3. I eat healthfully and exercise regularly.
[ ] [ ] 4. I get check-ups, go to the dentist, and take preventative precautions.
[ ] [ ] 5. I set aside personal, quiet time for myself, whether I'm meditating or simply letting my thoughts drift.
[ ] [ ] 6. I experience the gifts of each season: ice skating, sledding, bundled-up beach walks; gardening, hiking, more time outside; camping, swimming, barbeques; harvesting the bounty, gathering wood, spending more time inside.
[ ] [ ] 7. Creativity nurtures me, too. I do what I love, whether that’s cooking, drawing, painting, writing, dancing, singing or another creative pursuit.
[ ] [ ] 8. Reaching out to others enriches my life. I spend quality time with family and friends.
[ ] [ ] 9. Contributing to the world provides connection and purpose, so I give my time, energy and experience where it is most useful.
[ ] [ ] 10. I notice and heed the emotional signals that tell me I'm out of balance: irritability, overwhelm, resentment.
[ ] [ ] 11. If I feel that I’m catching a cold, I realize I may have stressed my immune system with over-activity, so I stop and take care of myself.
[ ] [ ] 12. When I need or want to, I say no to requests for my time.
[ ] [ ] 13. I listen to and honor the requests my body makes for such things as a nap, a walk, green vegetables, hot soup.
[ ] [ ] 14. If I have something planned for myself, I don't just toss that aside when someone makes a request of me.
[ ] [ ] 15. I'm busy, but I find time to do the things I want to do.
[ ] [ ] 16. I'm happy. I regularly experience well-being, contentment, even joy.

If you answered false more often than true, you may want to take a look at the questions to which you answered false and see if you can incorporate something of its message into your life. Please don’t hesitate to call or write if you’d like to explore this issue further.

Consciously, I knew to be careful with my back because of an old injury. (My car was hit from behind by a drunk driver on the freeway in 1976.) But when I felt strong, I was confident and forgot. Oops!

The Bible does not use the word balance, but it talks about rest.

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth ... God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done." (Genesis 1:1-2:3)

"There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his." (Hebrews 4:9-10)

 How has your belief or disbelief in God and His word affected your life?
Author’s content used under license, © 2011 Claire Communications

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