Topsy-Turvey!

Feature Photo by SeriouslySiri

Remember the balance beam in the school yard? Did you walk on it, balancing with your arms out from your side in the air? What about the lines on the sidewalk that you would walk like a tightrope? It was all about feeling the success of walking the line without falling off.  We all have experienced that bliss of success. We also all know  how it feels to “fall” and be in the topsy-turvey moments. How did you handle it when you fell off the balance beam? Did you criticize yourself?  Did you swear to never get up on that thing again?  Or, did you get right back up and take the risk of falling off again? Maybe a little of both?  But here is the nitty-gritty:  Each choice we make has a purpose.  Life requires moments of imbalance in order to find the perfect balance.

We tend to focus on our “falls” and lack of balance instead of what we need to do to conquer our challenge the next time.  It is not always about the fact that you fell off because you lost your balance, it is about getting back on even though you fell off. It doesn’t matter if your balance beam (life situation) is only a few feet off the ground or a few hundred feet.  Falling or losing balance is an experience that helps us to grow and learn about ourselves.

These moments of confusion and missteps are to encourage you to get back on the balance beam. Hold your hands out and, maybe, as my grandpa Kilbourne says, “You may have needed to hold your mouth just right.”. We cannot always know what each situation will bring. Some people may have the gift of foresight but most us just have tiny pieces of intuition that may get missed altogether. Life is full of topsy-turvey moments. It’s our reaction to them that decides their meaning and our next steps.   Falling short of our goals doesn’t mean we have to stop functioning or give up. I encourage you to get back up and get closer next time.

How can we create balance in our lives?

I read an article by Peaceful Mind, Peaceful Life. They gave 6 steps to gaining balance that I have decided to try out for myself and I thought I would pass them on to you.

1.  Create a sanctuary. A place of refuge, a place you feel safe and can feel at home in. A place that you can rest and restore your mind.
2.  Be Still. Sometimes we need to take a few moments and rest. Listen in the stillness. Calm your mind.
3.  Think about what is important to you. Make a list of those things.
4.  Find a motto and live by it.
5.  If you fall off the life balance beam, don’t forget that you are not the only one. There are so many people whom you can assist and encourage because of your experience. We all go through things and many times we feel alone going through them. Not only is it good to know you are not alone, but it is good to have a support system. You are not alone. We all fall off the balance beam.
6.  Dust yourself off and get back up.

 “I have not failed. I have found out which ways don’t work.” -Thomas Edison