Last year I went through a bout of vertigo. If you have never experienced this malady, a person feels the sudden onrush similiar to the sensation you get when leaving a carnvial ride that has made you slightly dizzy. After weeks of tests at the doctor’s office the correction was a simple solution, I had fluid in my ear. I was given sudafed and within a couple days felt normal. I now take sudafed periodically as a prevention. I found some interesting things through this experience. When we stand or walk our ears have fluid already present that send the brain signals to let us know when we are not perfectly erect. Of course this is an oversimplification of the process but I think you get the picture. When your eyes see sommething different then what your ears have transmitted you have issues. My take aways from this experience.

1. We need balance in our everyday life. I am not talking about the inner ear balance but the one that allows us to be steady, stable and in control of our circumstances. There are more books and talks on the internet about this subject than could be acknowledged in one blog post. If I carve it down to a basic couple of sentences, it would say: “Don’t let your schedule run you”. When what you need to do comes up against the number of hours you have in your schedule, you are out of balance.
2. Listen to those around you when they say you are too busy. We all have blind spots and the people that care about you know when you are overscheduled. When we need to lose weight, we do not stop eating, we just become very strategic about the food we put into our body.
3. Ask yourself “When was the last time I truly laughed? I know some people do not laugh as others do, but you should. If you are taking everything to serious, you are probably out of balance
4. Finally, If you find yourself becoming an impatient listener, you are most likely out of balance. When we become to busy, have stress in our lives, listening to others becomes a chore. If your car is about to hit another vehicle, the first thing we do instinctively is taking our foot off the accelerator and apply the brakes. We should follow that advice when we find ourselves out of balance. Life is not going to slow down for you, you must slow it down through various means.

I will conclude with saying this. Accomplishments are great, and we need goals in our lives. When these things start stealing the joy of living, we are out of balance. Stop today and look at the trees, watch a child playing, observe your dog as he walks through the house. Life is happening all around you. Regain your balance and you will regain the life you have always wanted.