A balancing act

The new year is the perfect time to redress the balance of your life - but this year, give yourself grace

We talk about 'balance' a lot these days as this kind of zen-like state of having life totally sorted, don't we? But what is it actually? Let's look at the dictionary definition:

A state of equilibrium or equipoise; equal distribution of weight, amount, etc. something used to produce equilibrium; counterpoise mental steadiness or emotional stability; habit of calm behaviour, judgment, etc. a state of bodily equilibrium'.

All sounds good right? So why is it so hard to achieve? Whether it's work/life, family/me time, being active/resting, modern life constantly throws us between opposing states that can be more than tricky to navigate. Natalie Lue writer, speaker, podcaster, artist, and founder of one of the longest-running self-help blogs in the world, Baggage Reclaim (www.baggagereclaim.com) has a new book, The Joy of Saying No, and some very welcome advice: "We don't need to strive for mythical balance. That creates a lot of pressure and perfectionism, and then we're self-critical when we invariably drop balls.

"Recognising our 'balance' and what works best for us is a work in progress. Understanding our priorities and being more cognisant of and realistic about our bandwidth means that we can be more intentional with our yeses and nos and find more harmony with the various elements of our lives."