Living a Balanced Life Takes Guts!

Let your creative side out and dream big! Don't worry about how it's going to happen. Time and money do NOT come into play here. If you were living the balanced life of your dreams right now what would it look like? What would you be doing? Who would you be doing it with? What would a typical week/month look like for you? How would you feel? How much time would you spend at work? What kind of work would you be doing? How much time would you spend with your family and friends? What kind of activities would you be doing with your family and friends? How much time would you spend doing something just for you? Detail, detail, detail - down to the smallest degree. The more detail, the more clarity. Do not interject anything negative or things you don't want into this vision. I recommend keeping a separate sheet on which to write any obstacles or negatives on. It is much easier to move towards what you want, than away from what you don't want.

Now grab a hold of that negative sheet and add anything that is not moving you towards that balanced life, such as people who are a time suck vortex for you or energy vampires. You know who I'm referring to. Those people in your life that seem to drain your energy and time whenever you spend any amount of time with them. If you are volunteering for things or RSVPing to events because you feel obligated and it's really not moving you towards living a balanced life add them to the negative sheet. You get the idea.

Now pick one or two of the items off of your negative sheet that you feel are holding you back and you are ready to say "No More!" to. Take a big red pen and cross them out; scribble it until it's no longer visible. As you are doing this picture that negative person or situation coming up for you and you standing firm in "no more". What's different? If it is a person, let go of their response. You can only control your response to any event or person. Breathe into that open space you've just created by saying no more. There is no need to fill it right away. Just let it be.

This is where I say it takes guts to live balanced. You may be saying no to things in which you've previously said yes. This may confuse or frighten those around you. They may try to persuade you to do what you've always done. It's comfortable, it's a known place to fall back into your old patterns. Stand firm in your new practice (it's ok if you slip, just note it and get back on track).

As you become more comfortable living without the items you've crossed off your negative list, cross off a few more. Repeat the process until the whole sheet is scribbled out. Tear it up, burn it or destroy it in the fashion that is the most cleansing for you.

As you begin integrating and living into the open space you've created you will find that you now have room for new people and events to come into your life. Say yes to the things that move you closer to your dream and amazing things will begin to manifest in your life. New opportunities, bigger dreams and amazing people.