A change in... Balance

Reminders are everywhere.
The difference is that you have to be looking. Paying attention.
What you think you see is all that's going to matter in the end.

I've been focusing on the idea of perspective, as a theme for sessions with a group of girls.
My counterpart has been focusing on balance, as a theme for her group of girls.

Perspective of the whole. Balance for the whole.
You cannot have balance without the perspective of the whole.
The good as well as bad.

Maybe what really matters is the balance. The in-between. That fine line.
Came across this while searching balance, and we use it sometimes with the kids.
It's a way to visualize the different areas of your life and your satisfaction with them or notice which are lacking (if you didn't already know).
The areas content can be changed to be whatever you'd like them to be, but the core- physical, mental and emotional are basically the same.

However, it also points out areas of satisfaction you may not have known you have.
For instance I did one and realized I was equally balanced in a number of areas as a whole, which made me feel relatively successful.
The areas that were lacking were the ones I knew well.
I had plans for them of course... ones that never came to fruition.... but perhaps they should.

And it should be mentioned that each area has its own weight. And what I mean is that I viewed each area separately. I judged them by my satisfaction with my plan for each. For example, Personal/Spiritual Development was considered higher because I have been actively pursuing a goal (da blog). Health and Self Care was higher because I have been making better choices regarding diet and exercise (and when I say exercise I mean... walking...). Physical Environment (Home/Office) was higher but only because I will be moving to the suburbs soon and there have been decorating improvements as of late. But you get what I mean! Each should have their own set of standards.
However- each is also subject to your perspective...
I'm in a relatively even mood today.
Catch me on a pissy day and the balance would be drastically skewed- which would probably still be reflective of the balance... (Ugh, okay I'm getting a headache). Health goes down a notch.


A supervisor of mine once told me a story that helped to change the way I viewed the work I do that I think will forever change my perspective.

A person she knew went over to an African country that was full of starved children and families. She walked through a village of hungry people and was taken to a building that was just erected with some funds that have been used to help the community. Inside she was taken to a room with a large buffet, laid out for her and the group she was with. Needless to say she was appalled. When her translator noticed her reaction he told her that none of the food in the room could be given to the community because it would kill them.
Because the people had been so malnourished for so long, they no longer had the ability to process complex food and slowly had to be nourished with things like rice and water. They could not physically eat the same food.
My supervisor likened this to the emotional capabilities of the children I serve. They have been starved of love, affection and intimacy all their lives that they are malnourished and cannot metabolize or understand the kind of complex caring we can provide for them- that we try to provide them with. Therefore, we must start with the very basics because that is what they can understand and have the ability to grow from.
Smiles, listening without judging, quiet voices and gentle hands- even when they spit and bite and curse and hit. Because those reactions are the responses of someone who is scared.
Therefore, working harder and harder, trying to force them to take the love and care you can offer them will not only do nothing for them but burn you out faster.

I think this also is true for ourselves as well. What's good for the goose is good for the gander.
If we are honest with ourselves and can pinpoint where we are at in terms of satisfaction with each area, that's almost half the battle. The other parts are accepting it (which is MUCH easier said than done), then developing a plan to get from where you are to the next achievable place.
So what would it take to get me from a 2 in some areas to a 6 like the rest?
I've got some things in the works. And just knowing it helps ease some tension.

Oh, and Star Wars...