Chinese Proverb – “To create balance in life, carry a melon in each hand.”

Balance is a critical aspect in all areas of your life. Physical balance helps to keep you from being a victim and ending up on crutches or spending your days in a wheelchair. Practice strengthening your balance as a way to enhance your life. There is another aspect of balance that can have a positive or negative effect on your life. Arguably, this aspect of balance is just as important to create a healthy and long productive life.

Two items can reveal a great deal about the balance in the rest of your life: your calendar and your checkbook/credit card bill. Your calendar is very revealing. Take a minute and examine your calendar. Look closely and note the balance of activities and “white space?” White space is the time that you have left open and free to do whatever life presents. White space is down time to take a deep breath, to reflect and regroup. White space is critical to your being – your brain needs it. If you find little (or no) white space, it is time to do some reevaluation of your life. Aim for balance.

The other thing your calendar reveals is the kind of activities that fill your days. Are the spaces filled in with long meetings and other events that tug at your spirit and drain your energy? Carefully check each of the items on your calendar. There are some things you cannot avoid, but… there are other “shoulds” that you may want to examine and ask yourself if the world will continue spinning if you don’t show up. Ask yourself how you might use your time more productively and positively for your brain. Create times and places to add activities that will improve your mental and physical functioning. You are worth it!

Now, examine your checkbook and/or credit card bill. This is also very revealing. This revelation is very explicit and points to what you consider priorities in your life. Are your checks made out to places that provide instant gratification and material “stuff” that clutters your home and provides a minute’s worth of joy? Or are your checks made out to places and people that can make the world a better place? Helping others by contributing to research that searches for cures; or food to feed those who are hungry; or warm clothing or providing shelter for those that are homeless, is a gift that keeps on giving. Giving to others makes the world a better place. It also keeps those wonderful endorphins – the feel good chemicals - helping your brain to remain fit and functioning. Aim for balance.