Why Balance is the Secret to Peace

There’s a lot of talk nowadays about balance. You can’t walk into a bank office, yoga studio, or roller rink without balance getting a passing mention. It’s also evident in nature that all living things flow in a peaceful and balanced way. This is because nature just is. It ebbs and it flows, and it is able to give itself what it needs through its own cycles. Here are 4 reasons why balance is the secret to peace:

Balance helps you stay regulated.

Nature is always peaceful because it is able to self-regulate and keep itself in balance. If the grass grows fast for a season, it doesn’t wind up overgrowing and throwing the forest out of whack. It feeds the deer, which feeds the bears, and nature remains in balance because no one organism is apart from the system. You are no different. 

When you’re balanced, you don’t burn out.

We might look at nature’s self-regulating system of balance, and assume that because we’re observing it that we’re separate from it. We tell ourselves that we are wholly different from nature and that we can push ourselves emotionally to the brink of extinction without consequence. If we take the time to balance, heal, and self-regulate, we can save ourselves from exhaustion and walk free of our old pain. 

Balance is the gateway to healing.

Balance can be elusive when we’re haunted by the burden of the past. We might find ourselves trying to ignore the struggles that made us who we are or making molehills into mountains because of what’s happened in the past. Oftentimes people will practice these two seemingly opposite coping strategies at the exact same time. We do this because our bodies are self-regulating systems that seek balance without our conscious approval. So imagine how much we could heal if we made a conscious effort to bring our psyche into balance. This is exactly what Dialectical Behavioral Therapy was made for: finding the unifying truth beneath our seemingly contradictory emotions. 

Balance helps you remain in touch with your authentic self.

When you’re out of balance, you leave the things that make you whole off to the side. Putting too much focus on work leaves you with little energy to devote to your art, or the things that bring you joy. It infringes on the time you need to rest and recharge. Or, if you focus too much on the fun stuff, you make things difficult for your future self. When you place too many restrictions on yourself, you create rebellion within yourself, which will make you avoid what needs to get done. On the other hand, having no structure in your life creates a messy free for all where nothing runs smoothly. In both scenarios, peace is just out of reach, because you’re either rebelling against yourself or hiding from what needs to be done. 

“So be sure when you step, Step with care and great tact. And remember that life’s A Great Balancing Act.” -Dr. Seuss

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Starting with a creative written voice and a BA in English from ASU, Alli Cravener has become so much more than Integrative Counsel’s voice! Not only is she a writer who is passionate about connecting concepts and content, Alli is also currently a grad student working towards her Master’s in Counseling. She is also the editor-in-chief, office manager, AND intake specialist at Integrative Counsel. When you call us, you’ll talk to Alli! Alli’s interests include painting, history, learning about other people, and wearing the color pink. She likens herself to a “mouse in a palm tree”, and she loves it that way.