Friday, October 06, 2006
Surfing life's waves...
In October I will travel to Kelowna (X2), Prince George, Vancouver, Ottawa, Edmonton and Toronto. Most of this is work-related, some is related to Amnesty International. I'm currently juggling 6 contracts as a consultant.I'll be running to airports, fixated on email and trying to squeeze in good sleep and a little exercise. I eat too.
I'll also support my 16 year old daughter, who is performing as the opening act for Cara Luft (of the Wailing Jennies) at a show next week; get the house ready for winter; spend time with friends and family; keep an eye on the news, particularly the US elections... and try to do some reading and writing.
Maybe this pace sounds normal for some of you (Dimitri comes to mind). I'm a busy person, but sometimes wonder how I get in deeper than I really want to.
Here's a question: how do you find balance in your life?
Comments:
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Holy smoke, you're a busy guy!
I find if it take some time to retreat to my own solitude for a while, it recharges the batteries. It doesn't have to be for very long, but having just myself for company for a while helps to rebalance things. I think it's as necessary as sleep or food.
Take care,
Josie
I find if it take some time to retreat to my own solitude for a while, it recharges the batteries. It doesn't have to be for very long, but having just myself for company for a while helps to rebalance things. I think it's as necessary as sleep or food.
Take care,
Josie
Balance is out of the question right now. I'm just treading water right now, trying to keep my head up. I'm teaching 5 different classes, and it's too much. (Taking classes, got my Jedi, etc.) BUT, I really did need the money....
the only way i can balance myself
is to get up early before anyone
- drink chai alone and blog or
read or sit on the porch.
is to get up early before anyone
- drink chai alone and blog or
read or sit on the porch.
Balance? What's that? Anyhooo, too bad I'm not in Ottawa anymore we could 've gone to the Byward Market to Cafe Wim (if it's still there) and I would have treated you to a broodje kroket (with mustard!). Service was kinda slow but hey, on the flipside you can just sit and yak and not feel like you need to hustle your booty out to make space for the next customer. Good thing you're going now as opposed to a couple of months later, that would have been brutal! Kelowna I have the fondest memories off. When I visited my oldest half sister (while I was still growing up in Holland), I loved going to beach (and in those days, by myself at 8yrs old!) or canoe on the beautiful okanagan lake smelling the pine trees..sorry, I digress!
How cool that your daughter already is an opening act! Way to go girl! Does she live iwth you in the co housing community?
btw..the balance part probably happens when you have enough downtime to deal with the busy other compartments in your life..so,what would you do for a down time?
Ingrid
How cool that your daughter already is an opening act! Way to go girl! Does she live iwth you in the co housing community?
btw..the balance part probably happens when you have enough downtime to deal with the busy other compartments in your life..so,what would you do for a down time?
Ingrid
I'm trying to figure out how to balance my life, more importantly my inner sanctum. But, I don't have a clear cut strategy. When things are too much, I just get home as soon as possible and hug Jackie. Then we literally lounge on my comfy futon and I start to breathe easy. :) So erm, get a new dog? :)
I admire how busy you are (and yes even Dimitri).
I admire how busy you are (and yes even Dimitri).
If balance were easy we'd all be tight rope walkers in the circus. I find relief by laughing, reading, blogging, sipping wine, hanging with my beloved and trying to get a good night's sleep.
Congrats on the contracts and the kid. Hang tight, you will be fine.
Congrats on the contracts and the kid. Hang tight, you will be fine.
# posted by 
: 7:52 am
: 7:52 am
Dear Gary,
The busy people somehow find all the time to do all the things...balance comes naturally to them...the lazy find it most difficult to find this balance rather they even find difficult to live everyday...so don't worry my friend...the balance will find you..you do not go for it.
best wishes!
The busy people somehow find all the time to do all the things...balance comes naturally to them...the lazy find it most difficult to find this balance rather they even find difficult to live everyday...so don't worry my friend...the balance will find you..you do not go for it.
best wishes!
# posted by : 10:22 am
: 10:22 am
Balance - HA! There's no such thing. I guess we all just do the best we can. I find that I let the least important things in my slip when I'm busy... like sleep.
I practice saying "NO" in the mirror with my sternest face. Seems to work.
So, is your daughter performing solo or as part of a group? That's pretty neat.
So, is your daughter performing solo or as part of a group? That's pretty neat.
# posted by : 3:32 pm
: 3:32 pm
Thanks all - some great advice in there (and thanks Abhay for the philosophical take - yes, I need to appreciate my life too).
I really resonate with Sophie's suggestion and am finding a quiet hour alone each morning to be very nurturing.
Madcap - somehow your sternest face is still gentle!
Vee - my daughter plays piano and sings, her own songs mostly. She's performed publically about 5 times now and is getting a good response. I love her songs - we hope to record some over the next few months.
I really resonate with Sophie's suggestion and am finding a quiet hour alone each morning to be very nurturing.
Madcap - somehow your sternest face is still gentle!
Vee - my daughter plays piano and sings, her own songs mostly. She's performed publically about 5 times now and is getting a good response. I love her songs - we hope to record some over the next few months.
Time is unchangeable and questions of life balance assumes a necessity to allocate time between work and leisure or pleasure ?
But the quest for balance depends more on whether you like what you do or not, hence “ Are your consulting assignments types of work which is a pleasure” ?, if so then it becomes your leisure and balance becomes irrelevant, it can also be spiritual,mind enriching experience, combined with regular contact with your family in balanced lifestyle choice.
If only some of the assignments fit that category , then you have the option to abandon those that do not fit the bill. If its chore, then I guess it's important to seek ways to enrich these experiences further !
Time is the gift we all receive, I think its important to use it wisely to shape a balanced life, with families, work and leisure.
Furthermore that time encompasses the spiritual, the mind and the physical. Each is co dependant upon the other, but they can also often operate simultaneously in our creative endeavours.
"A broad margin of leisure is as beautiful in a man's life as in a book." Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), American author and philosopher.
But the quest for balance depends more on whether you like what you do or not, hence “ Are your consulting assignments types of work which is a pleasure” ?, if so then it becomes your leisure and balance becomes irrelevant, it can also be spiritual,mind enriching experience, combined with regular contact with your family in balanced lifestyle choice.
If only some of the assignments fit that category , then you have the option to abandon those that do not fit the bill. If its chore, then I guess it's important to seek ways to enrich these experiences further !
Time is the gift we all receive, I think its important to use it wisely to shape a balanced life, with families, work and leisure.
Furthermore that time encompasses the spiritual, the mind and the physical. Each is co dependant upon the other, but they can also often operate simultaneously in our creative endeavours.
"A broad margin of leisure is as beautiful in a man's life as in a book." Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), American author and philosopher.
all I know about it is in encapsulated in this old kazakhstan proverb;
it is impossible to balance an elephant with a feather, unless you use a very small elephant and a really big feather.
it is impossible to balance an elephant with a feather, unless you use a very small elephant and a really big feather.
Lindsay - a full post in one comment!
Ian, I would add that a fish cannot eat a tree without the moon shining green on a pencil. Agree?
Ian, I would add that a fish cannot eat a tree without the moon shining green on a pencil. Agree?
I am trying to find balance now that I have some time off from work. Two weeks! Luxury... I'm taking walks in the evenings, sipping chai latte at a cafe catching up on my people-watching (my favorite hobby). I've also spent my weekend with some good friends - in wonderful Copenhagen. Museums, dinners, talking, laughing and just being HERE, NOW seems to fill my batteries.
I'm also going to try out a new routine in the morning, getting up half an hour earlier than I use to so that I can do some meditation before I face the tourists at work..
I hope you find YOUR balance, Gary..
I'm also going to try out a new routine in the morning, getting up half an hour earlier than I use to so that I can do some meditation before I face the tourists at work..
I hope you find YOUR balance, Gary..
I'm with Granny and JuBlu on this one: Balance??? But maybe this counts: Yesterday, upon getting home from work, I told BabyGirl that she was going to help me make M & M cookies, and that we were going to get huge glasses of ice cold milk and eat as many of those still warm cookies BEFORE dinner as we wanted. It felt so good to be so bad. Of course when Hubby got home from work and walked into the kitchen with a hopeful look on his face, he was sorely disappointed b/c there were very few cookies left and no dinner cooking on the stove, but still, those cookies were damn good and I taught my kiddo a great lesson: FLEXIBILITY is a good thing.
Tina - flexibility through over-eating warm M&M cookies - I love it! Yes, one way to reduce the stress and find balance is to be flexible... and to have fun.
Nerdine, I meditate every morning before our house is awake - let me know how it goes for you.
Nerdine, I meditate every morning before our house is awake - let me know how it goes for you.
I haven't known balance for so long. I used to devote time for the important things in life, like family and friends and time for myself, but lately, I've regressed and have been spending copious amounts of time at work and at the office. My thought is to sacrifice some personal time now and work hard so that in the near future, I will not have to do so. Everything seems so fast paced these days, and even more so since I moved to NYC. Hopefully soon, things can slow down for us all to a soothing pace.
Blessings to your daughter for her performance!
Blessings to your daughter for her performance!
# posted by : 9:44 am
: 9:44 am
Thanks all. My daughter performed beautifully. We plan to record some of her songs in the next few months. Then I'll figure out how to post one!
Oh yes, she opened for Cara Luft, a terrific singer/songwrite who used to be one third of the Wailing Jennies, a great Canadian band.
Balance via diversity and flexibility perhaps? I wouldn't know. The only thing I know is that flying kites and baking pankaces together with my son balances me out. On the other hand I like traveling so much that I couldn't do without. There's so much to see and experience. I couldn't do a day without life..
You, on the other hand, seem very much balanced out my friend. I admire that in you!!
You, on the other hand, seem very much balanced out my friend. I admire that in you!!
balance? for me is achieved with a cup a tea and a book or a journal and quiet - whenever I find it. with the tornado I'm living now I cherish it when I do.
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