Finding Your Balance

Have you ever had that moment where you drop something on the ground, and because you are in a
hurry you frantically try to grab it…and you drop it again. Or maybe you hit your elbow on a table when
you pick it up…or you pick it up and then you drop something else; because of course you have a million
things in your hands….because YOU ARE IN A HURRY!

These are the moments I like to think the universe is laughing at me and forcibly trying to tell me to find
some balance. The reality is if I had just take an extra moment to catch my breath after I dropped the
first item, I might have picked it up no issue and gone about my day. But I had no time…I had a million
things in my hands…I had shit to do! We always do. We always will. But we can choose to live in the
chaos and be frantic and frustrated. Or. We can lean into the discomfort, we can find a moment to
breathe in the midst of the mess, and we can learn how to juggle.

Author, Nora Roberts once coined the Glass and Plastic Balls Juggling analogy. She spoke of recognizing
that you aren’t juggling five balls (e.g., work, family, friends, etc.); you are juggling 55 balls (e.g.,
deadline for blog entry, adding TSA precheck to a boarding pass, buying Tylenol for your infant son,
unloading the dishwasher, reloading the dishwasher, making the bed, sending an email to xyz people,
and on and on and on and on…….). Often, we assume that every one of those balls we are juggling is
glass – fragile, essential, and must be carefully protected. But, the reality is that some of those balls we
are juggling are made of plastic.

It requires introspection, awareness, and a willingness to acknowledge the reality that we are not
superhuman for us to strike balance in our lives. We must acknowledge that some of the tasks we juggle
are plastic and as such, if we drop them they will simply bounce. We can throw them back into the mix
when we are ready and capable. Balance also requires us to acknowledge and accept that the textural
makeup of our balls changes regularly. Something that was once plastic may become glass and visa
versa. We must remain open and flexible to change in order to sustain.

Additionally, and potentially more importantly…to strike balance in our lives, we must be willing to ask
for help. We must acknowledge the strength of vulnerability that lives within us to admit when we
cannot go on alone. We must find our safe people and ask them to assist in our juggling if needed, or
sweep up a broken glass ball that fell, or catch a bouncing plastic ball. We must be willing to create our
own village and rely on the various strengths of those around us. Balance looks different for everyone.
You are not expected to create a life that looks just like your neighbor. You have to look at and examine
the individual pieces of your own life and see how they fit together. You have to create your own
balance. And guess what…sometimes the balance is off and everything will come crashing down. THAT’S
OK!!!! Don’t panic! Just find a new pattern, a new way that things fit together.

Some of the parts of your life will take up more time, energy or focus. Some will need a stronger base, a
larger community, an extra set of hands. Some will be small enough to fit into any pocket of space you
have. But only YOU can determine the unique and precarious pattern that is created. Once you identify
your balance, it is important to protect it with time management, effective boundary setting, healthy
communication, and vulnerable connections. BUT don’t be scared to change your balance if new things
come into your life. Your balance can be adjusted whenever you want or need…once you find balance,
you can always find it again. Just have faith and trust in your own ability…and don’t let others pressure
you into following their balance. Don’t let others tell you which balls are plastic or glass…their balance is
specifically curated to their own unique needs – just like yours is designed for yours. Own it, love it,
change it.

By: Fast Bananas Expert Dr. Kayla Balcom PhD, Sports Psychologist

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