Live a Life of Balance
by: George Tannous, PhD
Become a Certified Life Coach
Important: Before you study this lesson please watch this video, “Why?“. Example: If you or your client are in a relationship and the other person displayed an attitude of not being “Truthful”, you’ll need to master, and you’ll need to educate your client the following: “Confront and Level!”, “Assertive Communications!”, as well as “I Feel Good, PST!”.
Make sure to answer the questions at the end and follow the instructions for submission!
Every one of us leads a different life. No two lives are the same. We all face different challenges, and we all have our fair share of pleasures as well as sorrows. But even though our journeys are different, we all share the same goal. The goal of achieving joy and happiness.
Even though we all strive to acquire happiness, only some of us achieve this goal. Sounds unfair, doesn’t it? Even though each and every action that we take is in the direction of achieving this goal and is supposed to take us one step closer to it, only a few people actually get to lead happy and fulfilling lives.
So where do people who lead unsatisfying lives go wrong? Do people who lead contented lives do something differently? Or are they just lucky?
The key to a happy and fulfilling life is balance, a balance between several crucial pillars. These pillars are work, health, emotions, interpersonal relationships, and community. When one of these pillars gets out of balance, it creates roadblocks and speedbumps. People who lead happy lives understand the significance of an unbalanced life and strive to bring balance between these factors whereas people who lead stressful lives often are oblivious to the imbalance that is contributing to their sorrows and misery.
Below are key pillars that will help you to be balanced. Some of these can be categorized as inner factors while others can be thought of as outer factors that influence our lives from the outside. But the imbalance in these contributes to unhappiness and dissatisfaction in life.
Selfish Behavior: We all think about ourselves, and it’s a good thing. There is nothing wrong with putting yourself and your needs first. But sometimes, we cross the line. Sometimes, while ensuring our needs and desires are met, others get harmed. Sometimes we cheat, sometimes we manipulate, and sometimes we simply shrug our shoulders and avoid taking responsibility. While this perhaps enables us to achieve what we desire, it leads to damaged or broken relationships that bring imbalance in our lives.
Job: A job not only equips you with professional goals but also gives your life a purpose. While there are many upsides to having a job, sometimes, being in the wrong field or being stuck in a wrong job can lead to unhappiness.
Work Habits: Some people are lucky to make a living doing something they love. But sometimes the love for the job or professional goals cause an imbalance. Some people become unavailable for their friends and family while others simply become so focused on their work that they start ignoring their health. Bad work habits might bring you satisfaction for some period of time, but in the long run, they take a toll on other aspects of your life.
Pride: Humility enables us to not only be humble but also to keep an open mind. A modest person is often more open to learning and exploring new experiences. On the other hand, some people are filled with pride and live by the notion “I am better than you.” Not only does this attitude restrict their growth and keep them from trying and experiencing new things, but it also forces them to seek attention and recognition even for their minor achievements. It fills them with jealousy when someone else achieves their goals. Cultivating this attitude leads to unhealthy emotions causing an imbalance in a person’s life.
Relationships: Healthy relationships make you feel loved, wanted, encouraged, supported, and can help you live a better and longer life. But unhealthy relationships have a completely opposite effect. Unhealthy relationships can become the root cause of stress and make you feel neglected, unloved, anxious, unwanted, and demotivated. Unhealthy relationships can cause imbalances in a person’s life leading to serious consequences.
Physical Health: We all have heard the quote “Your body is your temple.” But how many of us treat our body this way? Imagine you have acquired all the wealth you ever wanted, you have achieved all the goals you wanted to accomplish, but will this success be meaningful if you have to live on pills or medical devices? When physical health starts deteriorating, it not only drains you financially but also emotionally. Many health issues and their treatments can cause serious effects on your mental health, which again contribute to imbalance.
Emotional Health: When it comes to overall health, eating right, and exercising are not enough. Emotional health is also crucial. An emotionally unfit person feels out of control. He finds it difficult to manage his feelings and thoughts. A person with bad emotional health often finds himself tangled in his own emotions and incapable of controlling his behavior. Bad emotional health also clouds the judgment of a person, leading to bad decisions, which ultimately pave the way for regret. Emotional health also influences physical health and can affect it in several ways. Minor obstacles become serious challenges and the person spends time trapped under stress and anxiety.
Community involvement: Community involvement enables a person to explore different perspectives, to solve problems, create diverse opportunities; it empowers him to tackle challenges head-on. Overall, community involvement keeps a person aware and helps him to get out of his comfort zone. Community involvement boosts self-development and helps a person form better relationships. But when a person gets disconnected from the community, it confines him in his own box and can lead to loneliness.
When these pillars are well-balanced, they enable a person to lead a fulfilling and happy life. But imbalance in any of these pillars can cause elevated levels of stress, anxiety, pain, and sorrow. Hence, achieving balance among them becomes crucial.
Is your life balanced? Can you say that all the pillars above are well balanced? If not, are you planning to take steps to improve your relationships, your work habits, your attitude, your emotional and physical health, and community involvement? How do you plan to do it, and if you have started already, have you made any progress?
The essay
Please write an essay, up to two pages, about whether or not your life is in balance. Share your story in the Forums.
Our advice is for you to practice “Bringing Your Life in Balance” daily. Tell us in detail, who, what, when, where, why, to whom, the place of what you did. The outcome! And tell us in detail how you could have changed that from what you learned today so the outcome would have been better. Internalize this lesson. Make it become a part of you. Share your story in the Forums.
Our advice is for you to put this lesson into action. Become a member of the Forum and share your thoughts or give feedback to others. That’s how you gain practice in becoming a Certified Life Coach!
Read the article? Time to introspect!
- Do you put your needs first? Why?
- Would you say you are satisfied with your professional life? If not, what challenges are you facing at work?
- Do you feel loved and wanted in your present relationships? If not, what changes are you planning to make?
- Would you say you are emotionally healthy? On the scale of one to ten, how would you rate your emotional health?
- Are you a part of any community? If not, why?
Sources:
https://www.wcsu.edu/community-engagement/benefits-of-volunteering/
https://healthcare.utah.edu/healthfeed/postings/2017/02/relationships.php
https://stephenguise.com/two-ways-pride-can-ruin-your-life/
This module includes the following:
- Introduction
- Why Become a Life Coach
- Live a Life of Balance
- Good Health
- Healthy Emotions
- Bad Work Habits
- A Healthy Job
- Community Involvement
- Attitude Check & Confession
- Confront and Level
- I Feel Good, PST™
- Why?
There is no way any relationship will survive without having the qualities mentioned above.
Make sure to read each article carefully at least three time. Print your workbook (will be available per lesson.) Answer all questions and enter them in your workbook. Once you have completed this entire journey, you will be issued a Life Coach Certificate so long as you’ve been a member of the “Forums.”
Also, follow the instruction for sharing your story in our Forums as well as participating in our “Forums,” especially our unique “Confessions Forum” so you may gain practice, knowledge, experience, and expertise!
I am thankful that you have given me this opportunity to share all of this with you. May God bless you and bring prosperity and peace into your life.
Respectfully yours,
George Tannous, PhD
This is Where Confessions, Attitude Checks, Accountability, Give and Receive Feedback Comes in. Practice for Your Own Practice!
Well, you might be asking yourself “How am I going to get practice for my practice?” Great question and I thought you’ll never ask!
#1 You are part of a group with the same interests.
#2 You have a question in regards to one of your clients and we are here to help you.
#3 Others have questions and you can give feedback and help them.
#4 You need to do a confession.
#5 And much more.
You Are Never Alone! Join the Forums!
Once you have completed this entire journey, you will be issued a Life Coach Certificate. Must participate in our Forums to get certified! You’ll achieve your internship by joining and partcipating in our “Forums”.