The Balanced Life Quest

Somehow, Friday was a really balanced day.  I got some exercise, took care of a few things for my two biggest day job projects, worked out some actor business, got to be artistic as I prepped sides for a callback, ran a few errands, and even spent some quality time w/my partner.

This kind of day almost never happens.  Usually I can touch on two or three life areas, but rarely this many in a single day.  I can't remember the last time I've had a day this balanced.

I've learned to think of balance in the aggregate - over a week, or even over a month, and surely over six months or a year, it will all balance out.  This keeps me from stressing too badly when I've had three days in a row of major day job crunch time and I'm feeling 'under-yoga'd' or during tech week, when I only see my partner late at night and early in the morning and one of us is very very sleepy - in the long run, I have to just trust that my life will have balance.

But I can help to ensure that balance.  I write scheduled downtime, dates, even major cleaning projects into my calendar.  Sure, I'll break those appointments if I get an audition, but I'll reschedule them.  Writing them down helps hold their place. 

Also, I've learned to have a weekly 'appointment' with myself to check in on how I'm doing.  I've timed this appointment to coincide with my weekly acting class, which I really look forward to and almost never miss.  Basically, I write in a journal during class for about 15-20 minutes on how I'm doing w/balancing my artistic growth, healthy relationships (to myself and others), financial comfort, and community connections.  Some weeks are better than others.  I drop balls regularly, but I know I can pick them back up.

And then every once in a while something like last Friday happens.