BALANCE and BLOOMING: interior and exterior renovations. 

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balance |ˈbaləns | noun

1. an even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady: slipping in the mud but keeping their balance
2. stability of one’s mind or feelings: the way to some kind of peace and personal balance.
3. a condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions: try to keep a balance between work and relaxation.
4. art harmony of design and proportion: this painting is balanced because of the way she used colors

bloom |blo͞om| verb

1. be in flower: a rose tree bloomed on a ruined wall.
2. come into or be in full beauty or health; flourish: she bloomed as an actress under his tutelage.
3. (of fire, color, or light) become radiant and glowing: color bloomed in her cheeks.

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I’ve been thinking a lot about BALANCE and the SOUL and why it’s so important to take the time and energy to cultivate it.

As I was journaling last night, I noticed how the past few weeks have been really great…..my work is at a level I enjoy, I’ve been eating well, working out almost daily, sleeping soundly, doing my yoga practices, spending time with my family, making time for myself…in short, I’m taking better care of myself by not disproportionally using my time.

I’m slowly realizing our lives our like our very own personal gardens and our souls are our homes, our sanctuaries. When we take care of your gardens by making the time to water daily, pull weeds regularly and plant seeds throughout the year…our lives blossom. The same goes for our houses, when take the time to clean regularly and do little projects and renovations throughout the year….our souls sparkle.

When we take the time to create balance in life, our soul is the one that gets the most benefit…there’s so much more beauty in the everyday, more fruits and flowers to enjoy and nourish us, a greater desire to spend more time at home and in general there’s more room to fully bloom. On the other hand, when we don’t take time to water, pull weeds or clean regularly, we rapidly lose our energy, become overwhelmed daily, lose sight of all the beauty that is right in front of us and spend so much more time chasing things outside of house that we think will give us a glimpse of happiness….and if we do have any blossoms, the weeds and dust quickly cover them up.

Two years ago I really let my garden and home run wild…work demands and stresses increased and true friendships changed faces. Instead of loving, nourishing and nurturing myself more through these difficult times, I began to neglect myself…since I worked all the time, I was too tired to go workout when I got home, I relied on comfort foods to get me through the day and in the process lost my self-esteem and love for myself. A year ago I saw the damage and looked the other way because I was not ready to access the situation, six months ago I looked again and got depressed and this January, I decided it’s time to start all over. So, I’m doing a whole interior and exterior renovation…my garden and my house….all at once. Good news, I’m already seeing a ton of progress!

Like everything, life has it’s ebbs and flows….but I believe that if we take the time to water, weed, clean and plant seeds regularly NOW, then when life sends us our daily dramas, busy weeks, friendship turbulence and crazy times, we’ll have the strength, insight and courage to deal with whatever pests or problems arise from a much deeper place of love for ourselves and understanding for others.

So if you have some time (and if you don’t, I suggest you make some :)), sit down with a journal and write about what gives you balance in the everyday….how are you nurturing your garden (your life) and your house (your soul)? do you love the work you do? what are you eating? how often are you exercising? are taking time to quiet your mind and spend some quality time with yourself? do the people you surround yourself with enhance your life and bring you joy? do they truly care about your well-being? are you taking the time to do the things that make your heart sing and that rejuvenate your spirit?….because once you clarify what’s really important to you, finding the right everyday balance will come easier and you’ll be happily surprised at how beautifully your garden can clean up and how brightly your house can shine…it’s definitely a journey, but one that’s worth taking!

BALANCE and BLOOMING….they go hand in hand.