A (Very Scientific!) Formula for Balance

I know it's hard to believe that I could write more on Balance - but it's a topic that just won't leave me alone. On my last tribe call we talked about what balance means to us - and of course I mentioned that I've been trying to make a mental shift from the word balance to flow. In that post I said that I felt like if I had a good balance between being "On Fire" and "Peaceful" then things would flow. The same formula from a post 6 months earlier!

Passion + Peace = Flow

So clearly the ideas of balance, flow, peace, and passion frequently inhabit my mind.


But even with all this thought-fermentation, I still couldn't explain "Balance" means to me! (Maybe this has something to do with why I'm trying to avoid it!) 


But I think I finally have it! (I know, I know, this is REALLY EXCITING! Don't worry, I won't keep you in suspense much longer.)


Balance is achieved when:


Energy output = Energy input


Whew! Did I just BLOW. YOUR. MIND? Or what?! 


What this means to me is that I allow or put back into myself at least the same amount of energy as I put out into the world (my family, friends, home, community etc.) If we don't do this, our energy reserves get low and that is when we feel out of balance.


I love this way of looking at balance for a lot of reasons. Of course I love it because it's a formula, and if something can't be expressed in a mathematical formula or scientific theory, well, then what good is it at all? 


Seriously though, I mostly like this because it is actually very general; it's sufficiently vague so that we can make it work for our own individual needs. Because the truth is we are all unique. Some of us need time alone every day and others of us die a little without having some major social interaction daily. Some kids need to be moving ALL. THE. TIME. and others ok with less activity. 


I also really love this because you can choose to "zoom out" on your timeline with this idea. Yes there may be days or a stretch of days where you are putting out a lot of energy into the world, maybe even compromising on your own needs for a while. But you know that after this time you will have a period of calm and be able to replenish yourself. Or perhaps you even knew this busy time was coming up and made sure to take extra-special care of yourself before hand. 


Anyways, I'm kind of in love with this idea. 

I'll leave you with a story about the Dalai Lama that I love (and found here):

A friend who I met through HE recently told me a story about a question the
Dalai Lama was asked by a reporter.

It was something along the lines of: “How are you able to fit in daily
meditation with such a busy schedule?”

The Dalai Lama smiled and replied that on normal days, he meditates for 1
hour in the morning. He then smiled even bigger and said that on extremely busy
days, he meditates for 2 hours in the morning.

How wonderful is that? And it explains it so perfectly! If we are busy giving, doing, rushing, achieving, connecting and all the other things we do in our modern, busy lives, then we must put at least as much back into ourselves.

What do you think? Does this Balance Formula make sense to you? Does it help you feel better about taking care of yourself so that you have more to give too?