We
tend to underestimate how
much maintaining balance
contributes to living life successfully and productively.
As a sports enthusiast, I appreciate how sports are a metaphor for, or a microcosm of, life so you will find me making many comparisons and analogies.
Take the example of an Olympic athlete.
To get optimum results he/she must train for the event in the most efficient and productive manner possible because the margin of error in a sporting event is miniscule.
You could win or lose in an Olympic event by a hair or one 1/100th of a second. Not a chance you would want to take.
When in training the athlete must have discipline and maintain a routine that includes the proper balance of sleep, good nutrition and exercise. He/she must also employ psychology to make sure that the necessary mindset or attitude is in place. Attitude and mindset are so important that they could make the difference between winning and losing.
If any one of these components is missing, or out of balance, the athlete will not perform well.
So it is with living life to the fullest. We don't have to adhere to the strict regimen an Olympic athlete would, but in order to function at our best, we definitely need to balance taking care of ourselves physically, mentally and spiritually. Focusing too much on any one facet catches up with us and leads to health problems in the neglected area.
For
instance,
if you were to exercise too much (hard to imagine) and not take time to
rest and replenish, you would injure yourself. If you read, or do a
disproportionate amount of mental work, your body would lack proper
circulation and fitness
level.
If you spend an emormous amount of time meditating, or relaxing, your
brain waves
slow down and you lack mental agility.
Whenever you overdo it in any aspect of your life, you lose perspective and balance. As Aristotle said: "Moderation in all things."
We can all learn from elite athletes who, by knowing how to balance their training routines, are able to function at optimum levels.
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