Of being human ...and a little imbalanced!

Life is all about finding that balance, they say. 
And I believe them.


Yet, just like this act for the mighty elephant, it's not very easy is it? For most, it could be practically impossible. 

No, "balance" is not my favorite word. 

I know I need to attempt a balance between many different things in order to be happy, successful, peaceful, healthy, etc; but it seems like too much "head" for me.... Most of my decisions are made with my heart, even if they have got me into not-so-ideal situations sometimes. 

I am who I am ....and where I stand in my life, I am pretty comfortable in my own skin, with all my faults and idiosyncrasies. I have been through a lot, made a lot of choices, had to deal with a lot thrown at me, uninvited. Yes, Life has taught me a lot and I have shifted gears to be able to keep up, to keep pace, to keep going. I know I am far from perfect, but I am me.... and for those who really care for me, that's usually enough. 

I seek and find peace - but within my imbalances. I don't strive for that "perfect balance" anymore. I am not even sure there's anything called "perfect" or "ideal" - I think its always subjective.

Yet, I see too many people around me stressing out completely looking for that perfect balance ...

- the working woman who kills herself racing because she wants to ensure she has enough time for the kids and her husband as well as not compromise on her career goals 
- the hard-working husband who strives to achieve the right balance between his work and his personal life, between his home and his hobbies or friends and forgets himself in the process 
- the natural leader in teams who has to hold herself / himself back repeatedly to ensure there is enough collaboration, even to a point that work gets affected and results are affected
- the child that has to focus on academics when his/her heart is pulled towards another vocation and ends up with a miserable childhood and a dysfunctional youth

I could go on ....

While I totally understand that a balanced life is ideal, hence aspirational, I don't think it's actually feasible and it should be a personal choice for each of us. Not all elephants may want to balance themselves on a tiny ball!!

We are all human here, we all have things we do great, stuff we are average at and things we really suck at. Yes, trying to get better is a human norm; our learning and development should never stop.  That's how we managed to get out of the jungle. But why do we all have to aspire towards the "ideal" and put ourselves under pressure when we fall short?

Why should that working woman feel guilty about sneaking in some time at the spa to pamper herself, to remind herself that she matters, too?

Why should that man feel sheepish about escaping from work and home to go on a long drive on his own, simply to feel his favorite machine throb under him and the wind in his hair? 

Why should that child feel pushed to achieve someone else's dreams and end up hating his/her world for not understanding what matters most to that young soul?

My stand is that I do my best, sincerely, and if its still not good enough, I am ok with that. I may chose to strive harder next time, or I may chose this is good enough for me. My heart decides. My head screams in protest at times, but has been known to fall in line soon. Ultimately, I rarely have regrets. I find my peace. 

I will never be that balancing elephant. I am going to always be imbalanced - in many ways. But guess what? I am ok with that. 

For those out there struggling to be "perfect", I beg you to stop for once ...and to think this through for yourselves....and then decide if that mighty balancing elephant is what you want to be.

 Peace out <3

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