Guest post by: Wendy Cuba-Danca
“Live a balanced life – learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.” Robert Fulghum
This is a picture of an “In Balance Mandala”. A woman named Sue O’Kieffe as part of a watercolor series made it. It is a stuffing vision from nature of how things look when they are in balance. During the upcoming Holiday Season and New Year you would do well to find some balance in your life. Here are some things to consider giving equal attention to in your Circle of Life:
- Home Environment
- Relationships
- Social Life
- Joy
- Spirituality
- Creativity
- Finances
- Career
- Education
- Health
- Physical Activity
- Home Cooking
We can also see where we are out of balance by trying this exercise. First, draw a circle, put a date on it, and break it into 12 equal sections. Write each of the words above in a section of the circle. Now draw a dot in each section where you feel you are satisfied with that aspect of your life. A dot in the center of the line indicated dissatisfaction, while a dot placed towards the outside of the circle indicates ultimate happiness. Now connect the dots to see your Circle of Life.
The lowest area means that you put little effort into this area and the ones on the outside of the circle are probably things you love and seem effortless. Select the areas you want to improve and set a measurable goal. Get clear on why this is a must for you now to improve, and write down what your future will look like if you don’t improve this area. Lastly, brainstorm on what things you can do to get closer to your goal by making a list so you can go to it for ideas later. Now you have a clear vision of any areas that need your attention.
You can do this exercise monthly to see your progress and if you are no closer to your goal, then you must revisit the WHY…the result is so important. If you have a big enough WHY you can do anything you set your mind to.
Used with the permission from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and information from Richard Sperl
