Simplifying Life

     After reading a great post from a fellow blogger, I decided to create my own post about living a balanced life. I have read many books and have had countless amazing discussions about how to become a more balanced individual and why that is important. Let's start from why being balanced is important, shall we? To me, being a balanced person is having a feeling of calm and being in control of the things important to you. In nature, when things are unbalanced, things like tornadoes, earth quakes, hurricanes, and even rain occur. Now, with this in mind, you can see that sometimes, being unbalanced is a necessary part of life. Humans, animals, and plants all need water to survive, therefore rain (which is an unbalanced moisture content in the air) is a necessity for survival. On the other hand, hot and cold air mixing together and becoming unbalanced (or unstable, as the meteorologists call it) becomes a natural disaster like a tornado! Although it is not necessary, natural disasters occur and are just as much a part of life as rain. Balancing and being unbalanced are part of our natural life.
     Part 2: Ever since I first learned about the teachings of Yoga, I have wanted to become more of a well-rounded human being; covering all 5 domains of life (spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional, and social). Here is my personal experience with these domains, but remember, no two people are a like; so what works for me may or may not work for you. Balance requires attention to your own personal life and fining what does and does not work for your greater good.
     Spiritual- I was raised Catholic, so I should be a spiritual person right? Not really...Just because someone declares a denomination, it does not mean that he or she is spiritual. I believe that being a spiritual person means finding love and happiness in everyday occasions (plants growing, birds chirping, breathing, being able to smile, etc.). I also believe that everything has a spirit, a life-force if you will. I feel the most spiritual while taking a long walk/hike through the woods or up a mountain; when I am in nature to be exact. All people have different forms of spirituality and places that they feel the most spiritual. Try new things and go out on a limb to see where your spiritual place lies!
     Physical- I have been fine tuning this one my whole life! I played volleyball up until I was a sophomore in college and since then, have been trying different exercise techniques to see what I like and don't like. Eating also goes under this domain. Since my childhood, my eating habits and style have done a 180! I now focus on getting as many vegetables into my diet every day and also add in vegetable protein, fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats to create a well-balanced diet :)
     Intellectual- This domain comes easy to me because I love to read and learn! When I am not studying for a class, I am learning new things online or reading a book. I even have a list of all the books I would like to read...let's just say its more than 1 page long...
     Emotional- This domain is the hardest for me. I am a very emotional person and it is hard for me to keep them to myself. When something is wrong, I want to share it with someone. Now, I am not saying that I show my emotions to everybody, I just need to get things off my chest in a timely manner. For instance, when something bad occurs (to me or someone close to me), I have to talk to someone about it. My way of dealing with emotions is through talking. Some people like to keep to themselves, others exercise to blow off steam, while some even meditate! (I can't sit still long enough to do that...yet...) The important thing here is to find what works for you and stick to it. Emotions are probably the hardest to conquer and the most important for a healthy life. I am continuously working on mine, and will never settle because life is always throwing curve balls; it is up to us to stay on top of it.
     Social- Growing up as an only child, I was extremely shy around my peers. I am still not the most outgoing person, but I am more willing to step out of my comfort zone more often. I feel that college really helped me with that because I had no one to be with unless I stepped out of my dorm room. For me, being social means connecting with my friends and family; making the most of my current relationships; and being willing to start new friendships while keeping the old ones strong.

 What living a balance life means to me:
This is simple...live life!  I know that is a very vague way to put it, but there is no equation or solution to finding more balance in your life.  That is the beauty of it; it constantly changes, even for you!  The important thing to do is to stay positive and know that no matter the situation, a positive lesson will be brought out and you will learn.  Also, know that there are many people in your life for a reason, so contact them and try to work on each of the domains of health to become a more balanced you!

How do you stay balanced when the world around you seems to be tilting?

Luana ola!