FINDING MY BALANCE

By Cheryl Hansen

It’s all about balance these days. Work-life balance has replaced the once-bragged-about 80-hour workweek. I talk a lot about balance when I have to rein in my son’s screen time (going as far as saying, “I wouldn’t want you to do push-ups all day, every day, either!”).  And, in the name of balance, I’ve been known to make an all-veggie dinner when my family has been carbing out for three or more consecutive meals.

And then there’s yoga. A tree pose looks pretty easy until you do it for half a minute (that seems like ten … thousand). That’s when you begin to get what this yoga stuff is all about. What once seemed like fancy stretching transforms into a brilliant way of toning every single muscle in your body—all while forcing your brain to let go of Every. Single. Thought (except what you’re doing right now). It’s genius. Physical + Mental = Balance—all with only one foot on the ground. Coincidence?

When it comes to diet, health and fitness, I’ve struggled to find balance for … well forever. I’m either on or off, black or white. I find a plan that interests me, dive in and follow it by the book. Of course I see results. Of course it feels great. Until it doesn’t.  Before long, I’m back to where I started.

I’ve been bothered lately by the fact that I haven’t changed every aspect of my health and fitness regimen. I mean, I declared my desire to transform weeks ago—I should have it all figured out by now.

I don’t. While I’ve been exploring what yoga can do for me and taking a lot of walks, I’m moving a lot more slowly when it comes to diet. That makes me feel guilty and question my commitment to this transformation.

But it occurred to me today that maybe I’m onto something. Instead of waking up on Monday morning, flipping the switch to “on,” making a green smoothie and defining each day thereafter as a total success or a total failure—I’m taking it one step, one habit, one meal at a time. I suspect that’s the key to achieving transformation by making changes that will last. It’s kind of like the tree pose, really. Nobody ever says it’s imperative to hold the pose without fail for the duration. In fact, if you fall out of it or any other pose, they say to just try again. Stop. Ground yourself. And find balance.