Today’s high-speed world of schedules and life’s excessive demands on our time and energy leave us exhausted. We long for healthy, balance living, yet it remains elusive —especially for women.
Life balance is probably the number one reason clients come to me, although they rarely ask specifically for help in this area. Usually, they come because an area of life is out of alignment. Typically, these clients are driven and dissatisfied, but they don’t know why.
What does a balanced life look like?
What is Life Balance?
In an interview with Gary Collins[1], Chris McCluskey, founder of the Professional Christian Coaching Institute, shares his thoughts: “It’s so easy to be scattered, distracted, spread too thin, with too many balls in the air. A balanced life doesn’t look like that.”
McCluskey explains:
A balanced life allows you to be fully present in whatever you are doing. If you’re working, you can totally pour yourself into it, and then when it’s done, it’s done. You can wipe your hands, go off and play — without being distracted by things at the office. . . A balanced life allows us to be where we are when we’re there.
Balanced Living is Healthy Living
I would add that balanced living is healthy living. It is Christ-centered and encompasses the whole of who we are — spirit, soul, and body. A balanced life enables us to enter fully into God’s plan and purpose for us in each season of life, stretching, yet honoring, our physical, mental, and emotional capacities and limits.
It is not about keeping all the balls in the air as much as it is about learning to drop some of the balls we are juggling to align ourselves with God’s purposes in each season of life.
Balanced Living: A Christ-Centered Model
My job as a coach focuses on helping clients define and live a balanced life. To do so, I use a Christ-centered model built on three pillars: purpose, people, and play:
An Overview of the Model
As Christian, who we are and all we do must flow from the core of our being — relationship with Jesus Christ. Therefore, by definition, balanced living for Christians must start with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It then unfolds in daily conversation with God.
Once the core piece is in place—a personal, intimate relationship with God—we then work together to define and create life balance for them and their families, built on these three pillars:
- Purpose: Life balance is about making intentional choices that align with God’s plan and purpose for our lives, which each of us must discover on life’s journey.
- People: Because God calls us to love others as we love ourselves, life balance is lived in light of relationships—loving our spouses, children, and those God places in our path.
- Play: True play restores health to your soul. Although play looks different for everyone, it can involve such activities as reading a book, playing sports, canoeing, hiking, horseback riding, and more.
Putting it All Together
The journey toward balanced living can take months, but it is a trip worth taking.
In the days and weeks ahead, we’ll take a closer look at life balance and each of these components.
Now that I’ve shared my definition of balanced living, what’s yours?
Transformed Living
- What in your life needs to change for Christ-centered living?
- To the best of your understanding and at this point in time, how would you define your life’s purpose?
- Who are the key people in your life and how can you express your love to them?
- What does play look like for you?
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