Friday, December 31, 2010

Imbalance My Life
















"Imbalance creates direction and forward motion and progress." - James John Hollandworth

Moving forward is not as easy as it sounds. There are many directions, so which one is forward? And how do we measure progress?

Reflecting on the transition to the new year, I join people around the world to ponder these questions during the last days of 2010. What did we learn, what progress did we make? What will we do different in the new year? The window for reflection is now − soon we will become busy again, and our new year's resolutions may fade from memory.

From experience over the past years, I discovered that moving into the new year is not so much about what we will do and won't do. What counts more is our attitude and our thoughts, since these are the drivers. To make a good transition into 2011, the best we can do might be to reflect on who we are and how well we are living, and to decide how we will live better next year.

During my stay in Ubud, Bali, three reflections on better living have floated to the surface, like croaking frogs in a pond during a rainy night.

1. Bigger than me

The first is that living better is about something much bigger than the current 'me.' It's about being part of something that wants to come and become. It's about expanding my consciousness, yet in a way that includes all I have experienced so far. It's about growing in all dimensions, including cognitive, spiritual, musical, ethical and other lines.

I am using the transition to the new year to remind myself to expand my consciousness and 'claim my space.' It feels like climbing up a ladder to get a better view of the world around me. And while climbing, it is important not to leave any less evolved part of me behind. That would start pulling on the rest of me and slow my progress.

2. Imbalance my life

My second reflection is that balance has proved to be elusive. The pursuit of balance has felt like a search for the holy grail. I found that I am usually out of balance, one way or another. The important question is, in what direction? I discovered I have to lean into my strengths, for a healthy imbalance.

Hollandworth reminds us that "a ball on a perfectly flat surface doesn’t go anywhere, but a ball on the top of a mountain will start rolling down, picking up more speed and more defined direction as it moves."

What I need in the new year is to accelerate progress to my life goals, not just to act on a few new year's resolutions. My choice is now to intentionally imbalance my life toward my strengths, to lean into them, and let them create momentum in my life.

3. Ready to be used

My third reflection builds on the first and second. We live in a dynamic world where change is constant and where new connections are made all the time. Claiming my space in this interdependent universe means that I announce that I can be used, that I can add value, that I can contribute. This can happen in planned and unplanned ways.

I also realized in the past months that my readiness can be extended to involve partners in exciting areas of my life. Mastermind alliances can help me grow toward my life goals by working together with partners.

Being ready to be used in unexpected ways seems the most exciting. Opportunities abound, yet I can only see a small part of the web I live in. If I cultivate a beginner's mind, if I 'show up' and have my antennas switched on as much as possible, if I 'touch' daily what's important in my life, and if I care to share and work in mastermind alliances, I am ready to be used for positive results in the new year.

Ubud Mood

I feel blessed to spend the last days of the year again in Bali, my future home. I have been enriched by meeting lots of interesting people who are travelling, searching, building, making a living, helping others, or just taking a rest.

I rediscovered how Bali is a great place for me to retreat, to review the past year, to inspect the man in the mirror and his habits, to see what needs carving out or changing, and to get inspired for my next steps on the road forward, with a healthy imbalance towards my strengths.

Happy New Year 2011!

Photograph: Festive decorations in an Ubud home.