Living a Balanced Life - The Real Juggling Act

I just read an installment from another self-improvement course that states that celebrities are unhappy because they don't have gratitude for what they have. I disagree.

Have you ever had a time when you were making a good living, lived in a nice place, drove a nice car, took trips, had everything you needed and more ? and yet you were still unhappy?

It wasn't that you were ungrateful for what you had, just something seemed wrong. You weren't fulfilled, or some- thing, but you couldn't quite figure out what the problem was? Maybe you're in a situation like that now. You feel like you should be happy, who wouldn't given all that you have, but you're not.

It simply means that your life is out of balance. Something has been shoved under the rug and forgotten about. It might be spending quality time with family or friends, or even just by yourself. It might be that you're not eating well enough to keep your body balanced. It might be that even though you make a good living, you don't love what you do.

If you look at the life of a celebrity, you can understand why they would be so unhappy. Their lives are totally out of balance. They spend years on the road. They don't have the time for important relationships and recreational time. They're always under pressure to be the "star".

Think about how you feel when you've put in a lot of hours at work and then have no energy left to give to your family. You don't have the energy to eat a good meal or get the exercise you need in order to have more energy.

People are on the never-ending treadmill trying to get money. But money itself will not make you happy. Life is a delicate balance of relationships, emotions, desires, and responsibilities to others as well as to yourself.

What do you really need to live a balanced life?

A clean, safe, calm home to retreat to ? your escape from the rest of the world where you can let your hair down and be yourself.

A healthy diet and exercise to stay fit, healthy, trim and full of energy.

Self-Care, whether it be reading, meditation, prayer, soaking in a hot tub, a new hairstyle, new clothes, you need to take care of your personal needs. It's not selfish. It's necessary. Remember the old saying "If Momma's not happy, then no one's happy"? There's a lot of truth in that.

Loving relationships. As much as some people swear they are happy being alone, we need human companionship to feel alive and part of the world.

Quality time with family and friends. Everyone thrives when you take the time to enjoy the important people in your life. Even if you're a workaholic like me, make sure to set aside time everyday for important relationships. You think that if you do all the work now, you can make it up to them later when you've made it. Most of the time by the time you've made it, the important people in your life have left. It happens all the time.

A way to support all of the above. Yep, that's where the money comes in. But it's more than that. It has to be some- thing you like doing, or every workday will seem like a prison sentence.

Dreams and goals. Without something to strive for, something to live for, we end up in a tedious existence. We need something that keeps the fire going ? no matter how old you are. How many people have you known who reached retirement only to spend the rest of their days in front of the television?

Faith. It takes many forms throughout your life. Faith in your God, faith in yourself, faith in your kids. You'll find many times in your life when you just need to have faith that things will come out ok. Faith is what get us through the tough times. It has been proven in numerous studies that those who practice their religion live longer, healthier, and happier lives.

Whenever you feel discontent coming on, do some soul searching and find out what you've been ignoring. It may seem like a lot of work to tend to all this stuff. It's just like the juggler. When you drop one of the balls, the rest come dropping down too. You need to pay attention to all of the balls. Instead of a balancing act, let's call it a Juggling Act!

Carole is the creator of Beating-the-Demons, a revolutionary new e-course that will help you make small, consistent changes in your life everyday. Make her prove it- Put it to the test for 30 days and see what happens. http://Beating-the-Demons.com

Related News

Little happiness in Haiti - MSNBC Little happiness in Haiti MSNBC -Oct 4, 2008 By Mara Schiavocampo, NBC Nightly News digital correspondent Last week I was in Haiti covering the aftermath of four fierce storms that slammed the island ... Tilghman not surprised by income, happiness survey results - Princeton University The Daily Princetonian Tilghman not surprised by income, happiness survey results Princeton University The Daily Princetonian,  United States -8 hours ago Creating a happiness campaign could alleviate student dissatisfaction with campus life, said U-Councilor Maria Salciccioli ’09, who is also a blogger for ... VoIP Providers: Providing The Happiness of Talking Without Any Frowns - TMC Net VoIP Providers: Providing The Happiness of Talking Without Any Frowns TMC Net, CT -4 hours ago This is a technology which has changed the way in which people talk with each other and also the feelings which are created in the human mind while making a ... Is 'F*** It' therapy the key to happiness? - Metro Metro Is 'F*** It' therapy the key to happiness? Metro, UK -4 hours ago by LISA SCOTT - Monday, October 6, 2008 'F*** it' says John Parkin, waving his arms around. 'F*** it, f*** it, f*** it.' It's quite an outburst, ... Our pursuit of happiness - Chicago Tribune Our pursuit of happiness Chicago Tribune, United States -Oct 5, 2008 Researchers like Diener are trying to convey what philosophers have long written: True happiness lies in the pursuit of deeply held goals, not in fleeting ... Eat your way to happiness - Yakima Herald-Republic Eat your way to happiness Yakima Herald-Republic, WA -Oct 4, 2008 by SPENCER HATTON The death-spiral of the stock market these past few weeks has done wonders for the makers of Tums. Acid indigestion is now a part of the ... Charity is laudable, but it can't provide health care for all - Salt Lake Tribune Charity is laudable, but it can't provide health care for all Salt Lake Tribune, United States -5 hours ago Sutherland Institute parrot the words of our founders, conceding that all people have a right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. ... Charity not enoughSalt Lake Tribune all 2 news articles A day of great happiness - Fiji Times A day of great happiness Fiji Times, Fiji -16 hours ago OLD scholars of Adi Cakobau School converged on familiar ground in Sawani on Saturday to celebrate the school's 60th anniversary. ... The secrets of happiness - Tehran Times The secrets of happiness Tehran Times, Iran -Oct 4, 2008 There's good news in these findings: Given the right disposition, in the face of difficulty, people can still find renewed happiness. What makes for a happy ... Why money can't necessarily buy happiness... - Sify Sify Why money can't necessarily buy happiness... Sify, India -10 hours ago The bottom-line is that money can't buy you happiness. That is something we probably knew all along. What is more interesting is why money can't buy ...