When we think of balance, we think of juggling things that matter to us at any given moment. Whether for work, home, school, the people we care about, a special project or all of those at the same time, the pressure to keep everything in its right place can be a constant struggle. The fear of disappointment from those that matter to us or the fear of disappointing ourselves can drive us to extremes to keep ourselves from falling into that dark and shallow grave of failure. But at what point do we just “let go”? And, why should we? Consider the “why” of everything you do and ask yourself, what purpose any given task, desire or wish really serves? Does it serve you, those you care about, or does it serve some other element that disguises itself as a need but is really a misguided want that places you down a path of self-destruction? Consider the things you do and the motivators that truly lie at their core. Greed, Pride, Hate, and Lust for Power/Recognition; our Dark Side if you will and Sharing, Humility, Love, Temperance and fulfillment for the greater good; our Light Side. When you take a look at the things and people you balance in your life it is important to look inwards and realize which core motivators drive your desire to please or fulfill them. The Dark Side will always be the easy path because it takes so little effort to fulfill yet the return so very powerful. However, the Light Side often requires sacrifice and hard work on a level that can be daunting but it too does offer a powerful return, one that can stand the test of time and most importantly, gives back. So, when things seem out of control, stop yourself for a moment and ask yourself, “Why am I doing this?” “What purpose does it serve?” If your answer takes you down the path of the Light side, stick to it, it won’t be easy, but in the end, you will feel like you did something worthwhile, something that mattered. If your answer takes you down the path of the Dark side, let it go! Let it go because the result will almost always be temporary and, in the end, you’ll likely be worse off than you were before. So, on this Star Wars holiday, May the Fourth be with you! And be thankful for the many lessons we can learn from this truly great space saga.
When we think of balance, we think of juggling things that matter to us at any given moment. Whether for work, home, school, the people we care about, a special project or all of those at the same time, the pressure to keep everything in its right place can be a constant struggle. The fear of disappointment from those that matter to us or the fear of disappointing ourselves can drive us to extremes to keep ourselves from falling into that dark and shallow grave of failure. But at what point do we just “let go”? And, why should we? Consider the “why” of everything you do and ask yourself, what purpose any given task, desire or wish really serves? Does it serve you, those you care about, or does it serve some other element that disguises itself as a need but is really a misguided want that places you down a path of self-destruction? Consider the things you do and the motivators that truly lie at their core. Greed, Pride, Hate, and Lust for Power/Recognition; our Dark Side if you will and Sharing, Humility, Love, Temperance and fulfillment for the greater good; our Light Side.
When you take a look at the things and people you balance in your life it is important to look inwards and realize which core motivators drive your desire to please or fulfill them. The Dark Side will always be the easy path because it takes so little effort to fulfill yet the return so very powerful. However, the Light Side often requires sacrifice and hard work on a level that can be daunting but it too does offer a powerful return, one that can stand the test of time and most importantly, gives back.
So, when things seem out of control, stop yourself for a moment and ask yourself, “Why am I doing this?” “What purpose does it serve?” If your answer takes you down the path of the Light side, stick to it, it won’t be easy, but in the end, you will feel like you did something worthwhile, something that mattered. If your answer takes you down the path of the Dark side, let it go! Let it go because the result will almost always be temporary and, in the end, you’ll likely be worse off than you were before. So, on this Star Wars holiday, May the Fourth be with you! And be thankful for the many lessons we can learn from this truly great space saga.