#WQWWC......April 28th Theme....Balance

I decided to join in with Writer's Quotes Wednesday, hosted by Marsha from Always Write. If you're interested in joining, you can find more about #WQWWC here. 

This weeks theme is Balance. It is such a great topic. As always it's hard for me to find one quote. I'm still figuring out how to go about these challenges and learning how to become even more creative with them.  One thing is true....balance looks different for everyone.

I had to share this one....I was so proud of myself for getting up on an SUP. I was nervous. I have good "balance", but in the water made me nervous. I got up and really enjoyed myself. Me in foreground, my daughter in background.

"While it is important to love others unselfishly, it is crucial to find a balance. When we compromise our needs and martyr ourselves to the point of depleting ourselves and neglecting our needs, we become out of balance." Jessica Minty, Codependency: Self Confidence

How true is this. If you are always a "yes" person to meeting everyone's needs at the drop of a hat, not taking into consideration yourself (yes there are exceptions), you soon discover how out of balance you become. This was me for many years, I just loved to help people, help my family, but I realized at some point, probably once I started working outside the home that functioning this way didn't serve me or others well. Sure there are times I will run something down to my girls, but I always stop and think about it first. If it's family who lives further away, I tell them to give me some notice (unless it's an emergency of course). I get there are seasons that maybe you become a caregiver for a family member, or as a mom of littles your time seems to be filled with their needs, HOWEVER, I think that's where creativity comes in at carving out time for yourself, to care for yourself. It's okay to say no. It's not selfish. 

"It's not about balance, it's about designing a work-home-family life that makes you feel good. A life you don't need a vacation from." Jacqueline Fisch, Unfussy Mom

I've heard this quote in various forms over the years and have loved it. Granted, yes, there is something about leaving your home and taking a vacation that is necessary, because if you're like me, if you stay home, you see everything that still needs to be done, so unless you "staycation" and intentionally leave your home each day to explore around you, you probably will spend time cleaning, doing chores, etc. Our homes should be a place where, in order to relax, we need to leave them. Home should be a peaceful place, a refuge. Life happens, it's not always that way, but you get to cultivate how your home functions. There is something to be said about creating a life that you love, that you don't say "oh my goodness I need a vacation, I need to get away from these people", whatever it is. Our perspective has so much to do with this. What we allow into our lives, the people we surround ourselves with. Being aware of how we're feeling, knowing when it's time to step away because you need some time to rejuvenate, even if it's just for an afternoon. Are you able to recognize when you're feeling overwhelmed, when you need to shift your mindset. Especially for women when it comes to our monthly cycles, or if you're like me, and experiencing some peri-menopause stuff, things can get wonky real quick. Let's be intentional about our time. Let's create lives we love. 

"Your beliefs should knock the scale way off balance leaning to the side of love. If the other side is weighed down with worry, guilt, shame, anger or frustration, choose right now to change that!" Debbie Dixon, Over The Rainbow

How good and thought provoking is this one! There are times, balance isn't always a great thing. I do always want to lean more to the side of love, forgiveness, peace, joy. I do NOT want to live in the past, with regret. Yes, there are times for worry, anger, frustration, but do we stay there or do we move past it and get to the other side. I've never been an anxious person, I'm not easily angered. Have I felt them at times? Sure, who doesn't, but do we live there. Living there keeps us truly living on the other side of them. Living there holds us captive, and often others captive too. Where are you living? 

There may be seasons where the scales are tipped more to one side. Maybe you do need to work a little more for awhile, maybe you are having to put a lot of time into resting to regain health, or taking care of others. It's okay, as long as you carve out some time for you. 

"Examples of balance can be found everywhere, even in those places where you least expect them". Dr Patrizia Collard, The Mindfulness Bible

How true this is. Where else can balance be found?

In nature
In art
In photography

In our physical bodies

In writing

In color

I actually thought "how nice would it be to have a balance in beliefs where people could work and function together within their beliefs but working towards the good of everyone, finding enough common ground or ability to listen to the other to maybe create a world where we can all live together without so much hate, fear, judgement etc". Not sure that one will happen but hey, I'm an optimist.

When any one of the above mentioned things are out of balance, something just seems off. It might not be earth shattering, but it's not quite what it could be. Would you agree? Or disagree?

Well those are my thoughts for this week. I can't wait see what everyone else shares. 

With Joy Unquenchable,

Kirstin