How Well Do You Maintain Balance?

Do you feel like your responsibilities are pulling you all over the place?  Are you struggling to maintain some balance in your life?   If so, you’re not alone.  Most of us have so many demands on our time and energy, that life can feel out of control.  Take this True/False quiz to see how well you are meeting responsibilities, while also recognizing and fulfilling personal needs and wants.

1. The only way I can successfully manage my life is to take care of myself physically and emotionally.  T   F

2. Nurturing myself enlarges my capacity to help others.  T   F

3. I eat healthfully and exercise regularly.  T   F

4. I get check-ups, go to the dentist, and take preventative precautions.  T   F

5. I set aside personal, quiet time for myself, whether I’m meditating or simply letting my thoughts drift.  T   F

6. I experience the gifts of each season: ice skating, sledding, bundled-up beach walks; gardening, hiking, more time outside; camping, swimming, barbeques; harvesting the bounty, gathering wood, spending more time inside.  T   F

7. Creativity nurtures me, too. I do what I love, whether that’s cooking, drawing, painting, writing, dancing, singing or another creative pursuit.  T   F

8. Reaching out to others enriches my life. I spend quality time with family and friends.  T   F

9. Contributing to the world provides connection and purpose, so I give my time, energy and experience where it is most useful.  T   F

10. I notice and heed the emotional signals that tell me I’m out of balance: irritability, overwhelm, resentment.  T   F

11. If I feel that I’m catching a cold, I realize I may have stressed my immune system with overactivity, so I stop and take care of myself.  T   F

12. When I need or want to, I say no to requests for my time.  T   F

13. I listen to and honor the requests my body makes for such things as a nap, a walk, green vegetables, hot soup.  T   F

14. If I have something planned for myself, I don’t just toss that aside when someone makes a request of me.  T   F

15. I’m busy, but I find time to do the things I want to do.  T   F

16. I’m happy. I regularly experience well-being, contentment, even joy.  T   F

If you answered false more often than true, you may want to take a look at the questions to which you answered false and see if you can incorporate something of its message into your life!

When clients are struggling to have more balance in their life, it is often because they are chasing away a fear.  The fear could be of failure, of economic insecurity, of not being inherently lovable, or of not being enough.   But instead of staying on the perpetual hamster wheel of always working too much, or always giving away our time, wouldn’t it be better to get rid of the fear itself?

Stress is a major risk factor for a huge range of physical and mental health problems.   If we can’t find a way to let it go, our health may force us to stop!

I had a client that had a tendency to compensate for everyone else in her office.   She had planned a vacation but was stressed about getting everything done before leaving.   After her session with me, she said, “I’m just going to do the best I can, and to heck with all the rest!”   By releasing the messaging that she had been conditioned to believe about work, she gave herself the gift of being able to truly relax and enjoy her vacation!

Need to find more balance in your life?   If you are in Seattle, come join us Jan 12th, 2015 at Greenlake Goal Setters with EFT!  We will be Releasing Barriers to Self Care.

Want to work with me privately to find more balance in your life?  Call me at 1855 ENERJOY or schedule a call!  Take advantage of my offer for a free 1 hr consultation!