“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:33-34 ESV

I have a confession; while I post this blog, know that I am also ministering to myself. Since retiring, I have struggled to find balance. After over 40 years of structured days and being on someone else’s clock; I am having trouble just being. I plan my day just like I did when I was working. If you were to ask me what I am doing tomorrow; I could give you a detailed list of things I anticipated on accomplishing. For those who know me, you know that I have a “Type A” personality—I am organized, plan everything, and an overachiever. For many things in my life, this works fine, but for my mental health, it could sometimes be to my detriment. I believed I was a balanced person until I no longer had a 9 to 5 job (know this is me talking; others may differ).

My honest, forthright friend informed me that I don’t know how to retire. I knew she was right. My intent was not to sit at home and do nothing but to do the things I love and am passionate about; however, I do have issues. The problem is that I need to find balance with the things I love to do, yet not become overwhelmed by them.

A couple of weeks ago, I went to the beach and decided to just “be.” I had the opportunity to walk on the beach and do one of my favorite things–listen to audio books. As I walked, I became engrossed in Viola Davis’ memoir, “Finding Me.” If you ever needed an example of resiliency, read or listen to this book. For a while, I walked and watched the calming waves asking God to show me balance and how to move forward in this particular season of my life. When I returned home, I felt different. Because of my genetic makeup, I am still structured, but trying to be more spontaneous. If I want to watch a movie instead of studying for an exam, I have decided to do it. If there is laundry to do, I will definitely put that off until another day. I will drop what I am doing to go out to breakfast, lunch, or dinner with a friend or spend time with the grandbabies. There are other things I am beginning to put off until another day instead of stressing to get it done before the day is over.

Gustavo Razzetti offers in an article on Psychology Today titled, “The Best Way to Find Balance in Your Life” five ways to find balance:

1. Integrate all aspects of your life. Stop seeing work, personal time, and social times as separate compartments. Rather than competing against each other, they should collaborate.
2. Lose balance to find balance. Letting go of control is key to letting things fall into place on their own.
3. Prioritize your activities. The first step is knowing what matters. Finding balance requires saying no to something else so you can do what you want.
4. Develop a balanced mindset. Balance is not something external; it lies within you. Balance is a state of mind, not a productivity hack.
5. Practice journaling. Set some time to reflect. Track how you spend your time—identify the tensions and make the necessary adjustments.

As I navigate through this new season of my life, I am open to change. Life is a constant evolution, and I am embracing the shifts that take place with it. How many of you are struggling to find balance? As I have, I advise you to take an assessment of your life to determine what is bringing you joy and what is causing stress. You may have to make a few modifications. Trust me, you will notice the difference.

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