I’ve heard it said before that if you ask a group of people why they practice yoga, the most common word or theme will probably be balance. The word seems to be omnipotent because it encompasses multiple dimensions of self and meets everyone where they currently are. Feeling over or under stimulated? Balance. Too much or too little physical exertion? Balance. Work, relationships, diet, sleep, self-care, hormones, standing balance poses? You guessed it, we’re looking for balance.
Maintaining a state of balance in one thing feels elusive. Trying to be balanced in all aspects of our lives feels infinitely more difficult to achieve! That’s likely why it’s an endless source of blog material, yoga themes, and consumer products. On the surface, it’s rather cliché, but when we dig a little deeper, there’s a lot there to consider.
I’ve been pondering this theme a lot this past half year, and especially the past month since our son was born. Having young kids will push you to simplify your life and rethink what your priorities are, and which expectations are realistic. Taking care of the kids comes first for me, without a doubt. After that, if I can manage to meditate for at least ten minutes, journal, get some movement in, eat one or two healthy meals, hydrate, shower, and read a few pages, that’s a good day.
Do I always hit those targets? No. Do I feel bad about it? Also no. I’m considering a broader time scale when I think about balance. Instead of feeling guilty about an unbalanced day, I strive for a balanced week, month, year, and phase of my life. That’s just kind of how my mind works; I don’t mind missing yoga a couple days in a row if I can make it up later in the week. I don’t mind that my daily meditation time has dropped significantly since having kids because I know I’m still passionate and will sit longer when they’re older. I just don’t feel that time pressure to fit it all in because I know that I’m doing a lot already.
With limited hours in each day, it’s a conscious and joyful choice to spend more time with my kids and supporting my family through the thankless tasks that just need to be done to keep the wheels turning. When they’re reflecting on their childhood, they won’t remember how impressive my yoga practice was, how long I sat daily, or how much time I spent working. They’ll remember how much time we spent together, and that’s what guides me as I rethink what balance means to me now as a father.
