Where is your balance?

I had a fabulous week off, but halfway through I realised that it had been planned by the part of me that wants to ‘Do All The Things’ and that I needed to make some time for the part of me that needs quiet and stillness to feel nourished. It’s taken me a long time to recognise these two parts of myself and even longer to begin to figure out how to live a life that meets the needs of both. It’s still a work in progress, which is why I spent the evening of my birthday eating all the vegetables and having a quiet night in with my wife, rather than the cocktails and indulgent food I had originally planned.

It can be so easy to get caught up in trying to do everything, whether it’s driven by fear of missing out or societal expectations that we should always be busy. However, if we don’t take the time to slow down and tune into what is right for us, we can be heading towards burnout when we lose the capacity to do any of it. This can happen in all areas of our lives, be they personal or professional. Learning how and when to take that time to be still and really listen to ourselves can be hard, especially if we’ve spent a long time ignoring some parts of ourselves.

As I have moved into full-time private practice, I have been taking time to listen as I determine how I want my days and weeks to look. Once again it would have been easy to let the part of me that wants to ‘Do All The Things’ take over and end up over committing, but instead I have taken time to be still and quiet so I can hear what I really need. This has meant scheduling regular leave and limiting the number of clients I see so I can maintain a balance in my life. By making the changes slowly I ensure they are sustainable and that I can continue to give my clients the support they need. The more I listen the more I find my balance.

I now have availability for a couple of new clients, so please do get in touch if you’d like help finding your balance.