‘Active balance’ - a key to stress reduction.
Our Bodies Live in a State of Active Balance
Our bodies seek balance but do not maintain it indefinitely. We live in our bodies in a state of active balance — which corresponds to the neurobiological term allostasis, meaning ‘balance through change.’ This term describes how the body’s natural healing mechanisms prioritize the system that needs the most attention. Life is a process of tweaking, building and finding moments of balance through the ever shifting, changing life-systems we live in. You are alive because of this process – stop fighting [yourself]. Mentally embrace the concept of active balance.
Swimming: as an Example of Active Balance
Imagine trying to swim away from shore in turbulent water. If you pretended there were no waves, you would swim with all of your might against the current, pushing and fighting the waves that kept rolling in and sweeping you back toward the beach. You would soon become exhausted, frustrated, and feel as though you would never accomplish your goal of moving past the breaking waves. Now imagine that you are fully aware of the current and the waves. You swim under them, navigating and negotiating the current, and move beyond the breakwater fairly quickly and with ease.
Living in Active Balance
We often think of balance as a static state – seeking ‘work / life balance’ as if there is a magic ratio of work and play – acting as if every change or hardship is the reason we feel overwhelmed. However navigating life changes and challenges is exactly the same as swimming in the ocean . You know that change will come, just like the waves. You calculate your risks and choose how you want to approach those challenges: will you fight and become exhausted, holding on to a desire for a magic ocean without waves? Or will you acknowledge that the waves exist, learn to skillfully navigate them – learn from getting jostled and pushed around – and allow yourself to enjoy the buoyancy and relaxation that the ocean offers?
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