WW: Balance.

“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance and order and rhythm and harmony.” -Thomas Merton

Cooper's got a brand new trick he'd like to share:

[caption id="attachment_1295" align="aligncenter" width="490"] Look mom, no hands![/caption]

He can balance his sippy cup on his high chair y'all. He is SO proud, and once he gets that cup good and steady he throws his hands back with great pride. It got me thinking about the art of balance.

"Next to love, balance is the most important thing." -John Wooden

Oh, the art of balance. We've all struggled to find it - between work and home life, friends and spouses...and finding personal time in the midst of it all. If you read about balance, you'll find many opinions on how to achieve it; some are very task-oriented and some very zen.  Today I came across this article that identifies five aspects of life that should be a focus in order to feel balanced: physical, mental, spiritual, emotional and material.

I feel like it's hard to sometimes be aware of what throws you all out of whack; have you ever felt off but couldn't figure out why? But once we do figure it out, we've than got to then act, be intentional. Now, I'll be the first to admit, I know a lot of things that I need to do to keep me centered and balanced but I definitely don't always do them. IE: those awesome trips to the gym that I never regret but always put off, or that time spent reading a good book versus turning on the TV during some free time...you get the gist.

Here are some critical points the article makes on achieving balance:

1. Physical. 1) get sufficient exercise, 2) get sufficient rest, 3) eat healthier, 4) pick a hobby that you enjoy.

2. Mental. 1) plan out your day and set goals, 2) write but keep it positive, 3) find out and develop your talents, 4) keep a diary or journal, 5) read, 6) try to set goals that are reasonable to achieve.

3. Spiritual. 1) pray effectively (or meditate), 2) communicate with nature, 3) study the bible.

4. Social/emotional. 1) do a good deed for another, 2) cooperate with people, 3) listen to people.

5. Material. 1) get a good education, 2) the job has to be the one you love, 3) money is not that important.

I love this. I kind-of want to print it out, frame it, and keep it on my bedside table. You can read the original article on Wiki here: How to Have a Balanced Lifestyle.

"The best and safest thing is to keep a balance in your life, acknowledge the great powers around us and in us. If you can do that and live that way, you are a really wise man." -Euripides

Thanks, Coop, for the reminder; so far you are excellent at balancing those important things in your life.

Cheers, Lauren