This week’s topic for Tranquil Thursday is balance. Maggie’s first question is about work/life balance. Since I don’t work and never have, I can’t speak to that. However, it made me think of the ways in which I need to create a balanced life in general.
I don’t currently have formal day activities. Of course, I have four hour-long activity slots a day, but I can spend them pretty much however I please and sometimes (most times, actually) I feel so uncomfortable with the staff assigned to me that we can’t do more than play a simple card game. I do feel I need to find a balance in my life between being active and passive.
Active, in this sense, does not necessarily mean exercising, although that too needs to happen. I probably don’t need to worry about being extremely sedentary. I fell pretty badly yesterday and still I managed to meet my movement goal on my Apple Watch today. Okay, my goal is just set to 300 active calories, but that’s so that it’s within easy reach even on bad days like today.
What I do mean by being more active is engaging more in stimulating activities such as crafting, food prep such as smoothie making, etc. I also intend to be more active where it comes to actually learning about these topics. I mean, I love copying recipes and experimenting just a tiny bit, but it’d be great if I knew about the science behind them. For this reason, I just downloaded a book off Bookshare on the fragrance aspects of essential oils. How great would it be if I could create my own blends rather than relying on some shady subscription website.
This doesn’t mean I need to be active mentally or physically all day. It’s about balance, after all. I also need to rest. But currently, I feel my life is a bit too much “on hold” for my liking.
Another way in which I need to find balance, which Maggie didn’t ask about, is health. Last week, I agreed with the dietitian on a weight range I need to stay in to maintain a healthy (or near-healthy) BMI and not go overboard with my weight loss. As long as I stay within this range, I am in control of my eating habits. I do need to make sure I don’t slip back into my bulimic tendencies though. I will see the dietitian again in mid-June and will ask her to continue check-ins with me, although they don’t need to be monthly anymore I think. Over the past few weeks, I gained a little weight, but I’m still within the agreed upon range, though I do notice I’m having “cheat” foods more regularly than I’m probably supposed to.
Another question Maggie asked is about your life pie. This is a drawing of a pie divided into six slices for each area of life. You then put dots in each slice to see how well you do in each area and connect them to see which area is relatively unfulfilled. This is a visual exercise, of course, which I can’t do, but it did make me think. My life is most fulfilled in the area of exercise and least, unless you count work (but that’s by societal standards only), in the areas of friends and play. That last one might surprise my staff, as I play card games on a daily basis. However, what I mean by this is truly being creative.
A Multitude of Musings 
Interesting! Yes, I think that pie assumes we are all healthy and working a paid job. My daughter, with three very young children, has a different pie!
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I’m assuming what you’re trying to say is that for your daughter other areas than those covered by the original exercise are important? I completely understand that. I mean, I didn’t see “family” anywhere. Not that it’s all that important to me (unless in-laws count), but for someone with young children, this may well be the most important slice of life.
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Oh yes, good point! Also, her work is all in the home-making area, not a paid job. She is happy, although very tired!
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I see. Being happy is what matters most though. I find that I’m often harsh on myself because I’m neither a homemaker nor do I have a paid job. However, that’s not without reason, in that it’s very hard to get onto disability benefits here (as I’m guessing it is in most countries).
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I think you’re doing well with all your extra activities, walking and creating things.
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Thank you so much. With walking, I’m definitely doing the best I can. In the creativity department, I could do better though.
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You can and with more time you will.
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Astrid, you seem extremely self-aware and I do believe awareness helps us maintain balance.
The pie exercise is visual, but you could achieve the same result by simply assigning a number to each aspect that indicates your level of fulfillment in those areas.
I am imagine it would be frustrating if you do not have a good connection with the staff. Do you have online friends with which you can play card games? Friendship outside of care givers is so important.
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Thank you for your kind words and for complimenting me on my self-awareness. I do thankfully have online friends, as well as my spouse, whom I speak to on the phone and via text daily. I don’t think playing card games is what I’d like to do with those people though, as I do that with my staff (and one of my fellow residents).
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