How does balance feel to you?

Although I enjoyed a long walk with a good friend around Town Lake Saturday morning and a relaxing dinner at home with my family Saturday evening (we made some wonderful fish tacos on fresh corn tortillas), I found myself feeling crabby and short-tempered off and on throughout the weekend.

Why? It could have been stress, but most likely it was because I had to work part of the time due to some important deadlines. And, this ate into any time I would normally have for myself.

Our family likes to play. A lot. And although I love my work—which often doesn’t even feel like work—I look forward to and relish my weekends for downtime, relaxation, hearing music or seeing art, being outdoors, taking pictures, trying new foods, hanging out with friends and family and going on new adventures.

It was a good experience to taste “contrast” (what many spiritual teachers call disequilibrium or feeling challenged by life) and to be reminded of what’s important to me, how I desire to live my life and how committed I am to feeling connection, community, meaning and joy—at least most of the time!

The experience brought me back to the opening chapter of my book where I share:

The life I desire is marked by a deep connection to my child and to my partner. It’s a life filled with joy and meaning. It’s a life in which I feel supported and nurtured by an incredible community of women—young and old. I experience regular, meaningful, heartfelt connections with people I care about. I am continually open to growth—as a woman, a mother, a partner and a spiritual being. I enjoy supporting and serving others in a way that feeds me rather than drains me. I feel that I always have enough time in my life for those things that are most important to me. My life flows, I trust my intuition and I expect good to come to me. I feel peaceful. I am loving, and I feel loved.

This is really how “balance” (the concept of having enough time, energy and resources to devote to those things that are most important to you), feels to me.

I’m curious, how does balance “feel” to you?

Posted by Renee Trudeau, coach/speaker and author “The Mother’s Guide to Self-Renewal: How to Reclaim, Rejuvenate and Re-Balance Your Life.” Click here to read her latest Life Balance ENewsletter on Building a Support System or here to subscribe to her blog, The Journey. Learn more about her upcoming events and retreats here.

Photo: Open grasses on the east side of Enchanted Rock: Renee Peterson Trudeau.