Balance

Balance

by Aayushi Roy

Sometimes, when the road is not too easy—which is, let’s be honest, most of the time—we start to differ from our path into one that seems a little bit easier. But as simple as that seems, many know that they will make up for it later. Much farther down that path, they have an epiphany. Where am I? How did I get here? But more importantly, This isn’t where I want to be. Unfortunately, by that point, we are so down the wrong path that we have to take a U-turn with some extra crossroads just to get back to ground zero. We have to find the courage to let go of this easy but wrong path, and it takes a lot from us. So why let ourselves get to this point to begin with, right?

To avoid this, we need balance. Balance within us and in our environment. Otherwise, any bump can topple us over. Now, the question is, how do we get this balance? Well, balance is built within us. Everyone has it, we just have to make a conscious effort to hone it. We need our balance to be resilient to any change in the external or internal environment around us.

As simple as this prospect seems, there are many ways that one shouldn’t go about this. For example, if I’m doubting my self-worth today, I should simply agree with others, right? Wrong. Or if the day has been extra hard, and I’m not getting anything done right, I must be incapable, correct? Wrong. What if a friend who used to make fun of me and never apologised is inviting me to her party? Maybe I should just go, maybe I’m being difficult. Wrong.

The first step to finding balance is not finding an explanation for actions taken against you, but finding a way to deal with these actions. To find balance, you should never have to sacrifice your individuality or youness. You are worth it, you are capable, you are not difficult, and it is not your fault that you feel unbalanced. Because when life throws you a curveball, or maybe your brain overthinks again, this is where balance will hold you up; balance will help keep you upright in storms. 

But how does one maintain their balance? Here are some ways—

Firstly, keep your boundaries strict and in place. You are not being unnecessary, just respecting your personal space. Whenever you feel you’re tipping to a side, take a step back and relax. Try to find another perspective that lets you keep your balance. When you feel overwhelmed and are doubting yourself, write it down. You might wonder, how will this help me? Or maybe your brain is cluttered with millions of things running at once, so how do you put it down on paper?  The answer to that is simply to just start writing! Start with the first word that enters your mind and go from there. Tell yourself, just one word. Soon, you will experience newfound clarity within your thoughts. Through this, you will realize that they are not as messed up as you thought they were, they just needed to be heard.

Achieving balance is not difficult or impossible. Rather, it just needs a little bit of consistent effort, and you will not get it right on day one. You need to build it brick by brick—cementing it with self-love and care, paying heed to your needs, and constructing it intentionally. 

You will soon find out what a beautiful thing balance can be when handled properly. 

Balance is within you and around you, giving you peace and contentment, you just have to look for it.