She is a Zen Goddess!
I’m sure everyone knows that one person — whether it’s someone you know personally — who has accomplished the dream that so many of us have. The dream of living that perfect ‘balanced life.’ All you can do is to look on from the sidelines enviously, wishing it were you (and let’s face it, maybe you hate them for it, just a little bit!).
Today I wanted to talk a little bit about that magical ‘balanced life’ we are all striving for, or perhaps beating ourselves up about because we don’t have it! We’ve already talked a little bit about the 4 Soul Patterns (or “life schools”) but if you aren’t sure which is yours, you can click below to take our Soul Pattern quiz.
Each of the 4 Soul Pattern personalities is unique and reacts differently. What works for one, may not be the ideal situation for all — no matter how wonderful it might look or how amazing we might imagine it to be.
Even if you were to follow exactly what had worked for someone else, you’ll likely find that it is leaving you more frustrated than ever. It’s just not helping you to reach that place of equilibrium, because you’re designed differently than the Zen Goddess you admire (or, ahem, hate a bit).
When you are trying to find that inner balance without properly understanding what your soul really needs you are fighting your design. This struggle is the opposite of balance.
I want to help you find the true inner balance that comes from embracing who you are and how you’re designed — ultimately to give up the struggle of chasing after what you think balance is supposed to be.
Let’s start with the Soul Pattern personality I call Julie. (Full disclosure: Julie is my primary Soul Pattern.) For Julie having a balanced life means connection to others and herself. When she’s out of balance, though, it’s usually about the connection to herself. And most likely, she’s disconnected from her emotional expression.
The key to balance then, is for Julie to completely acknowledge and feel her feelings and then to engage in emotional expression. For me, this happens when I am free dancing or doing breath work. I check in with what I’m feeling and then I let — pure emotion with no intellect (or judgment) involved.
If you’re a Julie, choose your emotional expression in any way that speaks to your heart. And don’t make it a huge project … keep it quick and simple.
For the Penny Soul Pattern, balance and harmony when she includes something physical in her life — something that helps her feel alive and present. She’s out of balance when she’s living in the future and overwhelmed with all that she needs to do.
So Penny thrives on getting into her body and doing something active that gets her blood pumping. Perhaps she’ll find her balance at the gym on the treadmill, or perhaps it’s hiking in nature, or swimming in a lake. It could even be more extreme than that — perhaps you have always had a dream to skydive or ride in a race car. Whatever works!
If you’re a Penny, find a way to get centered in your body and do something that’s going to give you a little shot of adrenaline (without throwing you into panic). Listen to your body. For you, balance and harmony comes from the ebb and flow of excitement and stillness.
If you’re a Penny, find a way to get centered in your body and do something that’s going to give you a little shot of adrenaline (without throwing you into panic). Listen to your body. For you, balance and harmony comes from the ebb and flow of excitement and stillness.
Connie is the Soul Pattern who finds her balance by engaging herself herself mentally and then putting her knowledge to good use. This might mean that she spends the afternoon pouring over old copies of National Geographic. Maybe its time spent in the library, or perhaps even wandering around her favorite museum or gallery. However, Connie can go out of balance if she doesn’t take real world action on what she’s learned.
You see, Connie craves mental stimulation but also needs life experience. To have balance she must use her knowledge and her inner wisdom to make decisions and move forward in her life. Eventually, she needs to jump of the diving board so that she can say, “Been there. Done that.”
If you’re a Connie, spend time in both the mental realm and the realm of life experience. Balance comes from engaging in the wisdom of both areas and not letting confusion (or other mental hiccups) cause you to stay frozen and stuck on the sidelines.
Usually, so much of Suzie’s time is spent in service for others that she sacrifices her own needs. This Soul Pattern’s priority for finding balance, then, is to take time for self-care. It’s important for her to keep her well filled, which might mean blocking out time in her schedule to make sure that she has the space to take care of herself.
Yet, sometimes Suzie might swing too far in the other direction — into self-indulgence instead of self-care. If you’re a Suzie who is engaging in self-care and still feeling unbalanced, make sure you’re providing service for others, too. Perhaps it’s through volunteering or even something closer to home, like helping with your child’s homework.
So much of Suzie’s personality is influenced by how she serves others. If you’re a Suzie, you will feel so much more balanced and empowered when you let your spirit guide you in knowing how much to help others and how much to help yourself.
So much of Suzie’s personality is influenced by how she serves others. If you’re a Suzie, you will feel so much more balanced and empowered when you let your spirit guide you in knowing how much to help others and how much to help yourself.
And don’t forget … we’re nearing the end of the 1st quarter!
