Navigating Balance — EMPOWERED TIMES BLOG

We bring compromise into everything from simple daily choices to difficult life decisions. This basic skill we learn from an early age can become more complicated over time as we navigate our significant relationships, our careers, and the things we value most in life. How do we know our compromises are sustainable? The line can feel blurry when we’re at the juxtaposition between compromising and sacrificing and settling (for status quo). We can unintentionally shift from a revered social skill into a form of self-abandonment. We may settle for an unfulfilling partnership rather than risk starting over. We find ourselves acceding to the work demands of long hours or hostile company culture because we’re convinced this is the best offer we’ll get. We acquiesce to the expectations of every one around us for fear of disapproval or disappointing anyone. Our capacity to attune to our needs, desires and interests ultimately supports our ability to understand where and how to compromise without abandoning ourself in the process. Discover your own unique balance between struggling and settling, stubbornness and sacrifice, conviction and compromise.

Navigating BalanceErin MasonDecember 7, 2023compromise, self-sabotage, relationships, decisions

10 Ways to Navigate Life’s Challenging Changes

We are constantly moving through inevitable shifts and seasonal cycles in our respective lives. Getting married or splitting up. Welcoming a new baby or adjusting to an empty nest. Freezing eggs or surrendering to the waning biological clock. Changing careers or preparing for retirement.

At times we may encounter unexpected changes that can leave us feeling confused, disoriented, or even powerless. Other times, we might feel an inner restlessness motivating us to try something new. We may deeply desire something different—in a romantic relationship, career, location, or lifestyle—but struggle to find the impetus to act on it. We teeter between taking risks and staying with what feels safe and familiar. Whether you’re in a season of growth or pruning away, celebration or reflection, starting school or ending a chapter, incorporate these 10 simple strategies to navigate life’s challenging changes with greater ease and authenticity.

Finding Happiness in the Micro-Adjustments

Award winning playwright, Tom Stoppard said, “Happiness is equilibrium. Shift your weight.”

Discovering our equilibrium (aka balance) is a dynamic process. Life is constantly changing. What felt like a good balance yesterday might not feel relevant today or next week/month/year. When we are standing on one leg, our muscles automatically make infinite micro-adjustments to help us find our balance. Psychologically speaking, micro-adjustments can be equally effective in helping us discover equilibrium. Deepening our understanding of ourselves and our relationship with balance helps us to identify what feels off kilter so we can shift our weight accordingly. Even minor adjustments in how we think and how we approach life have the potential to influence our experiences in significant and powerful ways and tip our scale toward increased fulfillment and happiness.

Let Go of Control and Find Freedom

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this,” she repeated over and over from the edge of her hospice bed. It still echoes in my ears, along with a residual compulsion to make it better somehow. The powerlessness was palpable. My mind said, “do something!” but my heart knew there was nothing to be done. It’s unbearable to witness the suffering of someone you love. The grasping and sense of urgency is instinctive, but I felt overcome with a haunting paralysis. Then, something shifted. Throughout life we are taught in various ways how to master a sense of control. We think of it as the capacity to determine, restrain, or manage any given situation. But ultimately, control is fleeting and elusive. It’s like trying to chase the ocean waves or catch a bubble in your hands. Just when we think we have it, it eludes us. Are we ever really in control?

The Internal Tug-of-War

Have you ever promised yourself something, yet done the complete opposite? We typically have a rational understanding of what we want or what is “good” or “bad” for us, yet simultaneously we may feel pulled to act in ways that contradict our reasoning. When we experience internal conflict, it can be helpful to understand what is driving the disconnect. Are we acting in alignment with our true values or are we measuring ourselves by someone else’s standard or expectations? Do we feel free to make our own choices or are we overcompensating by asserting control in unhealthy or counterproductive ways? Does our innate need for safety and familiarity prevent us from taking the necessary risks toward positive change? Life is full of contrasts. We are able to mediate our internal conflicts through enhancing awareness and understanding of our inner contradictions.

Quarantine Adventures: Reinventing Ourselves Post-Pandemic

With COVID and the resulting quarantine, this past year has been a foreign experience— a metaphorical journey to an uncharted territory and unknown world. Everything came to a sudden halt in ways most people have never seen before. We were thrust into isolation, navigating uncertainty and juggling new roles and responsibilities. Now, as more people become vaccinated and we slowly approach the possibility of life post-pandemic, there are sentiments of ambivalence about resuming “normal” life again. Consider these five questions to reflect on your experience and redefine your priorities as you resume life after quarantine.

Tolerating Ambiguity ~ The New SuperPower

“Never. Rarely. Sometimes. Often. Always.”

We are in the throes of such an ambiguous moment in time right now. The variation in people’s responses are not as simple as state borders or political divides. This is a subjective experience, evoking contradictory emotions and ambiguous loss. We yearn for what we cannot have right now— the ability to move about freely in the world, celebrating rites of passage together, the simple pleasure of walking into a market without fear. In recognizing the diversity of our experiences and honoring our emotional responses, we embody the super power to tolerate ambiguity.

Lessons from Trees

One of my favorite things this time of year is to lie in the shade of a big, luxurious tree and look up through the lacy leaves at the blue sky above. Add a little breeze, and it’s like icing on the cake, with frothy, white clouds drifting by and the hushed sound of the wind through the branches…

Navigating BalanceErin MasonAugust 9, 2018aspirations, balance, exploration, healthy living, nature, strength

It's All Relative

Thanksgiving weekend kicks off the holiday season when we are often surrounded by family and friends (…or not), whether we like it… or not. Some attend large “Friendsgiving” dinner parties, others travel thousands of miles to sit at a dinner table with people they hardly know (beyond sharing the same blood)…

Navigating BalanceErin MasonNovember 26, 2017balance, confidence, discovery, exploration, family, relationships

Don't Let Summer Pass You By!

Summer has officially arrived! Even if no one in your home is affected by the school summer vacation schedule, there tends to be a noticeable shift in energy level and attitude…

Good Vibration

“Good Vibration” by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch is still on my workout playlist after all these years. It may be terribly dated and cheesy (and embarrassing to admit!), but I can’t help it…

Navigating BalanceErin MasonJune 3, 2017harmony, healthy choices, healthy living, music, nature