Unicorns, Mermaids, and Perfect Life Balance
Posted on December 11, 2014 by Kamryn Adams, One of Thousands of Christian Coaches on Noomii.
Life Coach Kamryn Adams shares her view on achieving life balance through "life management", bringing life's demands into purposeful living.
The notion of life balance stresses the modern woman. When I hear the words life balance it conjures visions of a women, namely me, trembling with sweat and walking across a tightrope over top of bustling New York City traffic. The thought that there was a woman out there that had perfect life balance made me feel like a failure as a working mother, daughter, friend, and community servant.
Life balance suggests to us that all is right with the world. Self-development books and tapes would have me to believe that a perfectly balanced life can be achieved with a little focus, planning and organization. However, “balance” as a notion of completely equal and appropriate focus across every aspect our lives is as illusory as unicorns and mermaids.
I realized balance was but a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow years ago. No matter what I did, no matter how much I planned and organized, used crock pots and alarm clocks, something was always out of balance.
One day, while teaching a pharmacy technician course, I had an epiphany. I watched my students struggle with measuring out the ingredients to make a skincare ointment. Every pair of students held their breath as the scales moved back and forth while they tried hard to measure exactly 3.0g of ointment. They continued to add and take away from the scales trying to get the scales to stay perfectly balanced. I walked to each station and if the scales were straight but toggling I said, “That’s good enough.” By the third time I gave the okay, it hit me. A relatively balanced scale that toggles is good enough. As opposed to life balance, I believe and whole heartedly promote LIFE MANAGEMENT.
We will not know if our scales were balanced until the end of our lives. We strive to give quality time to our families, lovers, and friends. We give an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay. We maintain our homes and our communities the best we can. At any given time in our lives something or someone is taking more of our effort, energy and time. But, if managed correctly you will have a reasonably aligned scale with a slight toggle. When your co-workers, employees, employers acknowledge your hard work and talent… when your family acknowledges your love… when your friends acknowledge your support… when you hit the pillow at night and you know you did your best very best….your life is better than balanced. It matters!
