Life is good… until it isn’t. When things happen, especially unexpected things, we are out of our normal order, we are disturbed, feel out of balance and for many these are stressful times. Life is out of balance!
What happened? Life was strolling along just fine but then an event took place that takes us “out” of normal order. So life’s experiences tells us that we need to always maintain a balanced life. I agree that life is better when we don’t suffer tragedies or we aren’t struggling to make ends meet but I don’t agree that there is such a thing as a “balanced life.”
The truth is what we are actually seeking is to avoid the imbalances that takes us out of a normal, peaceful pleasant, stress-less life. In fact living a stress free life is also not possible but a stress-less day or less stressful day is very possible.
How to live a balanced life is not the true quest but how to avoid imbalances is a worthy and reachable goal. The answer to that question is in how well you can build adequate reserves to buffer these unexpected events in the first place. Reserves of what? I like the acronym F-STOP (because I was a professional photographer in my youth).
F – Finances / S – Space / T – Time / O – Opportunities / P – People
As you build super strong reserves in all 5 areas you are not immune from problems but you are able to respond in a way that avoids the imbalances from which we seek to protect ourselves. Build more than just a 6 month financial safety net; build a stronger body and get more sleep than you are doing now to avoid illnesses; build up your network of connections so you have people and opportunities that they bring to your doorstep. The list can go on and on, if you realize that living a balanced (actually not living an imbalanced) life is very doable. Good hunting my friends!
Yours in Life,
docMIKE
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