Balancing Act: Navigating the Challenges of Modern Life
December always feels like the perfect time for a comprehensive refresh in my home, work, and life. Inspired by the changes in my garden, some plants wither away, while carrots and beets are ready for harvest after the first frost. I find myself reaching for the rake and clippers, clearing away dead remnants and turning them into mulch for the spring.
A similar process extends to my closets, where a weekend is dedicated to transitioning from warm to winter clothing. Anything untouched goes into a box marked for review in 12 months—if I don’t need it by then, it’s sold, donated, or traded. This philosophy extends to my coaching business, particularly as this year marks the close of a decade as a solo-preneur. I’m taking the opportunity to realign my offerings, clientele, and overall approach. A career overhaul I highly recommend everyone takes a run at at least once a decade.
Currently a work in progress, my commitment to continuous coaching education is a year-long endeavor to enhance my leadership and executive coaching skills while expanding Motivational Interviewing techniques. Being a perpetual student enriches my life immeasurably and I encourage you to have a think about what might excite you to add to your palette of knowledge this coming year?
Every nine years, I allocate time to acquire new skills, elevating my know-how and gaining a new cohort of motivated clients seeking positive transformations. As I navigate deeper into Elderhood, my focus shifts to helping others grapple with life’s significant questions. In the later half of life, our emphasis moves from traditional concerns like jobs and families to finding meaning, navigating empty nests, adjusting to physical changes, and aligning with the present moment.
Life is a constant evolution. In our youth, we concentrate on external factors—career, relationships, family. As we transition to life’s second half, the journey inwards begins, seeking deeper meaning and transformation. This shift prompts a desire to redefine our existence, finding alignment and fulfillment in how we spend our time and resources.
Balance at any life stage involves increased self-awareness. Evaluating who we are in the present, aligning our values with our actions, and questioning if we’re reacting as we did in our younger years. The process involves sorting through outdated ideas and reactions, discarding what no longer fits—akin to cleaning out an overstuffed closet.
Old beliefs and expectations are like ill-fitting clothing—limiting your true self and hindering the creation of a life filled with freedom, meaning, and excitement. It’s essential to periodically reassess and discard what no longer contributes to you enjoying an inspiring, meaningfully balanced and delightful life.
Amidst the rhythm of seasonal introspection and de-cluttering, the notion of creating balance in life becomes a recurring theme. Much like tending to a garden or organizing a closet, the process of realigning and refreshing extends beyond the physical realm. It transcends into the intangible aspects of life, and can prompt a deeper examination of your internal landscape.
As we invest in enhancing our skills and adapting in professional approaches to career, the parallel of pruning and refining becomes evident. Just as we trim away the unnecessary in our yards, gardens or homes, we refine our work methodologies, discarding outdated approaches and embracing innovative and more effective techniques. This ongoing commitment to growth and adaptation underscores the importance of maintaining equilibrium in our professional endeavors, aligning our methods with the evolving needs of our careers and worklife.
In the broader context of life’s evolution, the practice of balance emerges as a guiding principle. Navigating the transition from external pursuits to internal exploration mirrors the process of shedding the old to make room for the new. The ability to let go of outdated beliefs and expectations is not only liberating but essential for cultivating a life characterized by authenticity, purpose, and an enduring sense of fulfillment.
Just as we de-clutter our physical spaces, the ongoing pursuit of balance invites us to clarify and rebalance our minds and hearts, fostering a life that is not only delightful but also rich with meaning and excitement.
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