The Princess Guide: Where is Your Balance Point?

Where is Your Balance Point?

This morning, I revisited a piece I'd written at the ripe old age of 32 -- when I thought I had it all together. At that point, I was amazed that I'd lived 32 years without realizing what balance truly is. At that point, I learned that balance was far more complicated than I ever knew.

It's a lesson I'm still learning.

You see, we never stay in the balance point. Whether driving a car or riding a bicycle, we are continually moving through that point. When you ride a bike, you shift to the right – slightly off balance. You correct that by moving through the balance point to the left. And then you repeat the process.

The difference between an amateur and an expert is reflected in how close they stay to the balance point. A five-year-old learning to ride a bike will shift back and forth, going wide and often falling down. Lance Armstrong, however, rides so close to the balance point that his shifting is imperceptible.

We can apply that same theory to everything else in our lives -- whether it's walking in the 3-Day, raising kids or just about anything else.

For one thing, it’s important to realize that no one runs a perfect life – some people stay closer to the balance point than others, but it’s impossible to hold that course indefinitely. Some of us tend to focus on one area at a time, neglecting other areas. Maybe we’ll focus on fundraising, but fail to train. Or we’ll be so focused on training that we let our rest and recover time slide. Once we come to the realization that we’re neglecting those areas, we’ll over-compensate in the other direction.

My life is a textbook example of that. For much of the spring, I had two main focus points. To get the Simply Pink calendar finished in time for Mother's Day and to get the school yearbook finished before its deadline. Relaxation time wasn't anywhere on my radar screen. Neither was cleaning my house.

The pendulum swung. The calendars are finished, and we're into the easy part. The yearbooks were safely delivered this week to an undisclosed location, and we'll be passing them out in a couple of weeks. I've awakened to the fact that we'll be spending a long weekend at the Creek in about two weeks, and I've got to get in swimsuit shape. The focus has shifted. I'm going to bed at 10:00 rather than 1:00 a.m. Another shift. Still not cleaning the house.

What’s the answer? I don't know..... In my fifth year of walking the 3-Day, I can tell you it really is a balancing act. It's this dance between walking, fundraising and running the rest of your life. You will shift in and out of the balance point, but don't let it get you down. Each aspect of the 3-Day is due an appropriate amount of time and focus. You can't singularly focus on training at the exclusion of fundraising. Nor can you train on your feet all week long without taking a day of rest. It's all a balance.

And we do need to balance our lives outside the 3-Day as well. It’s so easy to move wildly through that balance point while trying to juggle a career, the 3-Day, your family, etc. Take some time to simply chill out with your kids. Take them on a bike ride or to the local swimming hole. Read a book. When life is balanced, life is good.

Now.... Because balance is important in your diet as well, and you should have "fun" foods every now and then, I URGE you to get on over to a KFC and pick up a Pink Bucket of Love! That's right, Food is Love -- and Fried Chicken is some of the best! And while you're thinking about that, please head on over to my Bucket Blog and leave a comment! BlogHer will donate $1 to Komen for each comment on my Bucket Blog!!!!