Living in harmony: How to bring balance into your life
Reflecting on the month of February and the increased awareness around Black History Month themes like diversity, inclusivity and harmonious living, I’m reminded of the need to take a holistic approach to incorporating these themes into life, year-round. But what does ‘living in harmony’ really mean and what are the steps to getting there?
Here are three key areas that could be affecting levels of harmony in your life, and practical ways to increase balance.
Environment
Living in harmony with your environment is one way to encourage spiritual homeostasis – a stable balance between all elements in your life. Take stock of both your immediate physical environment (home) and also how you’re relating to the external environment (think: carbon footprint) and come up with ways to incorporate greater intention. We can often feel dis-ease when living a life that isn’t aligned with our goals and values. By ensuring that your actions and lifestyle are aligned with your internal beliefs and core values, you’ll create congruency between your internal and external worlds and elicit deeper feelings of peace and harmony.
Relationships
Are there any relationships creating imbalance or unrest in your life? Take time to reflect on who’s taking-up the majority of your time and emotional investment and examine where changes are needed. It can take just one person to throw everything off balance. Pay attention to how you feel after speaking to or spending time with each significant person in your life; do you feel energized? Depleted? Calm? It can be hard to make sudden changes, especially if the relationship has been around for a long time, but you can take small steps over time to minimize your exposure to people who interfere with your intention to create harmony in your life. Change monthly catch-up sessions to one or two times a year, or practice politely declining invitations you’d rather say “No” to. Be sure to also consider your work relationships – sometimes it’s a boss or co-worker causing continuous feelings of stress. Consider options like changing your desk location or proposing a new reporting structure to manage difficult situations at work when leaving is not an option.
Health
With ever-growing demands and over-filled schedules, making health a priority can sometimes feel impossible. But this is one of the most important areas through which we can achieve complete balance and harness the energy to push that balance forward into other areas of life. Practice mindfulness to connect with your body’s needs and to notice the onset of any ailments. Take a moment first thing in the morning or before bed in the evening, to check-in with your body, do a quick scan, and note any areas of pain or discomfort. Meditation, mindful eating, and consistent physical exercise are all great ways to bring your body and mind into balance.
Once you’ve focused on implementing new, positive changes in these three areas, you’ll be ready for the final step – bring the inner harmony you’ve created into each interaction you have in everyday life. Set an intention to create inclusivity and harmony in the world around you.
Do you have a routine that brings harmony to your life? Please share it in the comments below.