Thoughts on balance

Scott Schwab:
As I awoke this morning and decided that a workout was just not going to happen; something occurred to me that I thought that I would share. In our daily routine, I believe that our mind is in control of the body much of the time. However, I have found that sometimes the body takes over and resumes control. You may have found the same thing as you have slept in when you never sleep past a certain hour, or you just physically are unable to do something that you desire. I found that the sluggish feeling and the inability to get moving was based on how I am living my life. Currently I am up late and having to wake up with much already on my plate. Many of you probably have the same daily battle with schedule and maintenance of your life.
The lesson for me to learn is that I and we have to take care of our body and give it proper rest. There is no replacement for sleep. It is a fact that sleep deprivation is not something that you can make up, the next night. We are in a daily cycle that many times will dictate how and what we do. For me it was my body really rejecting the consistent thought of going on a run or even getting into the make shift gym where I am working. Additionally, I have found that the more time I am investing into other activities, that my time, attention, and focus is taken from the body, which has constant nourishment needs. If we do not take care of the body, the body will eventually shut down. Systems within our body start rejecting what we are doing and this is why many times with stress comes lack of sleep, weight gain, weight loss, and even sickness.
Because our functions depend upon our health, it is important that we first guard our mind. Situations may be able to take away peace and freedom, however our mind and thoughts cannot be taken away. This has been proven in times where people stay sane, in insurmountable conditions. The reason is what they keep in their mind as apposed to focusing on the body. The same condition exists when we give to much focus to the body and not enough to our thoughts, ideas, and feelings. It is just as important to exercise our mind as it is our bodies. With that being said, balance is simply the key!
Achieving Balance:
Finding balance takes a lot of work. As someone who is not a professional on the subject, take this with a grain of salt. Planning is still the key. Planning is best exercised through goal setting and dedication to consistency. Life will throw you all sorts of curves, lemons, holes, and storms, but if you can have a plan, a goal, and establish consistency you can make it through anything.
Secondly balance is best exercised when doing multiple activities. This may sound backwards, but think about the most healthy individuals. They obtain health because of their focus on the above mentioned and their dedication to having hobbies, activities, recreation, education, learning, etc. Balance comes to those who can live a life with a multiplicity of activities by focusing on being diversely involved.
Finally, it is important to have a back up plan and allow for the back up to be part of the plan. A person may find success when doing something, with no other distractions, an environment that is conducive to the activity, and schedules align. Put that same person in a different environment, change the schedule, or adjust the setting on life just a tad and that person is a wreck. Learning is the key and adjustment is the key hole. Unless these two meet, the doors to life will not open.