2013 Redux - Balance {Monday Meditation}

Back in January, I shared my word for the year... Discipline.  That was (and still is) a primary focus for 2013.  I am finding though, as I move further into the year and work on discipline, that there is an element in life (my life at least) that needs more attention in order to be successful at the areas I want to be more disciplined in.  Balance.

Image Source: http://mommyof3byme.com/2012/02/29/finding-balance-in-raising-children/

Balance - (noun) a state of equilibrium between contrasting, opposing, or interacting elements. - (verb) to bring into harmony or proportion.

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Life... while it may occasionally be a static balance, a momentary state of equilibrium; it by its very nature, is dynamic.  Life balance is the action of distributing in correct proportions all the elements of your day so that life is in harmony and then perpetually re-evaluating and redistributing as necessary! 

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I guess that is the hardest element of balance for me:  Remembering that it takes very little to tip the scales in one direction or another.   It feels as though I work to get a good balance in things and then before I know it, I realize that balance is gone!  As I said, working on discipline has brought this perpetual act of balancing to my attention... so in a sense, balance and discipline go hand in hand... you must be disciplined in being purposeful about the balance of your life!

So as I evaluate the elements in my life, it comes down to this list (in priority):

1. Faith
2. Family
3. Friends
4. Finances
5. Fitness
6. Food

There are areas within each element that I need to work on bringing into balance.  In addition, I need to work on the elements as a whole so that when I look at my life, the priority I have them listed above is obvious.

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In the remaining five weeks of Lent, I'll spend a little time on each element and share my goals for balance for each one. 

Ultimately, my desire is the same as with discipline - to be an example for my girls on how to live humbly, wisely, and purposefully as a daughter of the King.