We've all heard the saying "don't put your all your eggs in the same basket", and even though I always understood what it meant, I didn't realize the implications. Going all in isn't bad. Like if you're chasing your dreams of running your own business, have done your due diligence, and you and your family have dedicated themselves to it 100%... that's not bad. But, in this example, allowing your happiness and how you feel about life to depend on the success of this one thing, that is what is not good.
What prompted me to write this was actually a friend's facebook status post. And I'm going to share it with you because I think he sums it up SO well:
One thing a lot of people do not realize about life is that Balance is key. We have so many people that put all their eggs in one basket and when something fails or they falter they are devastated and left with nothing. You hear about it all the time.. a balanced diet, a balanced approach, but in all honesty you have to think about it like when you have the old school scales. Something gets taken off one end of the scale it is going to instantly sway to the side with weight on it. (real scientific eh?) I take pride in making sure that I am balanced in my life. My Career, My family, My friends, My faith and my fitness are the 5 concentrations that if something falls off one end I have other factors to help keep me from falling off one side. I suggest you take a look at your life and think Am I balanced? if you are concentrating on one aspect of your life to try to succeed more than all the others then you could be losing out on love and friendships, or a job. It is not easy to say no sometimes but you live life for YOU and no one else. If you fail you need friends and family to hold you up so in no circumstances do you put them aside for a job or fitness. Set goals and achieve them but always keep in mind that you want people around to celebrate when you reach them. You neglect that well then it will be a lonely life. Have a great day and tell your fam and friends how much you appreciate them today. Its a start! One Love!
After re-reading it myself, I'm actually having a hard time coming up with anything better to say! Seriously though. I cannot say it enough: BALANCE. What happens if your entire life is based on riding, and one day, you have a freak accident that leaves you unable to ride? You laugh at me, but my co-worker had this happen to her. She can only do groundwork now, and even that is against doctor's orders. What if you've pushed everyone away, so you could chase your riding goals? What if you've been blowing off your friends, school, work, family, to get closer to a new guy or girl? What happens when people or your dreams fail you? Who or what are you left with?
This past winter has been a reality check for me. I was not balanced. Being unbalanced is the easy way to be, but it's also the fast track to unhappiness. When the heaviest weight on my scale disappeared, I went off the deep end for a little while. I'm lucky enough to have supportive friends, family and boss, who were there for me, even though I'd pushed them away. But it wasn't easy. Friends don't like it when you only reach out when you're hurting. And your boss will only accept "I need a personal day" so many times before getting suspicious.
Life is hard. Relationships, whether they're with your family, friends or significant other, are NOT easy. They take real hard work to be true, to be the kind of relationship you know you can turn to in trouble, and one that the other person feels the same way about. To be honest, I don't think I've ever been very good at balancing my life. I think it takes practice and a conscious effort. Even now, I'm becoming so busy with work, I don't know when I'll be able to hang out with my friends next, but I know I need to make time, because it I ignore them and work slows down, those friends may not be there the next time around. Thus, I will practice balance.
Life is hard, but that doesn't mean it cannot be fun and amazing and passionate and spontaneous. Relationships are NOT easy, but the good ones are worth it. They're worth every failed one before it, every hour of sleep lost, every tear that has fallen and will fall. And your career choice can either be the icing on the cake, or the thorn in your side.
So go ahead and ask yourself: Is your life balanced? If not, what can you do about it? It's a question you'll never regret finding the answer to.
