Throwback Thursday: Change Toward Balance.
Homeostasis; the tendency toward a relatively stable equilibrium between interdependent elements, esp. as maintained by physiological processes (good ol' Webster's Dictionary). Balance. An equal relationship between give and take, exercise and ease, joy and judgement, work and play, food and elimination. What goes in must come out! What goes up must come down! One hand washes the other! So why does the word 'balance' stress us out?
The first response to change, or to the suggestion that balance is needed, is naturally defensive. "My house is in order, I just had a stressful week! Normally, everything is fine!" Self reflection might reveal no time for breakfast, two bowel movements a week, poor sleep and a hectic work or education schedule leaving very little time for play, but if that is 'normal' then everything might very well be perceived as fine. We all defend our existence, our choices, our position in the world we live within. In fact, it would be abnormal if we didn't. It is important, though, to identify what we are defending.
The second response to change is naturally resistance. If the life lived now is normal, no matter how dissatisfying, changing it means unsteadying the ship. There is comfort in expectation; knowing what will happen if you do what is expected, or knowing what will happen if you don't. Sometimes resistance occurs simply because of fear of what is unknown, which is where the statement, "That is the way I've always done it!" comes from. Change toward balance means learning a new behavior or recipe or routine which might make you nervous. It might be important to evaluate why feeling nervous, nervous meaning a feeling of unease or apprehension, is equated with 'bad'.
The third response to a suggestion of change is feeling overwhelmed. "If I change this, then I have to change that, which means others will be effected and I might face adversity, which will cause me stress and unease so I will just keep things they way they are no matter how dissatisfying they are to me." Chances are, if your surroundings and routine are dissatisfying to you, they are likely dissatisfying to the others directly effected by the current state of 'normal'. Let me assure you, dear reader, change toward balance is not as overwhelming and stressful as you imagine. Change toward balance is actually stress relieving, time freeing and love making!
Here is how to begin: Add something and discontinue believing that change means taking something away. Change toward balance is not a graduation from a bottle to a cup, a pacifier to a blanket, a blanket to a big-kid-bed, a hall-light to a night-light. Change toward balance is the antithesis to the child instilled meaning of change, or graduation from the known to the new unknown. Change toward balance is the act of mindfully and intentionally adding what you intelligently identify as absent, which in effect balances the boat. While you digest the thought, eat real, naturally occurring foods, drink plenty of water, give your vitamins their vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands. That's a good balance!
Anna~
