Checks and Balances

Dearest Readers,

It's now two days after the biggest performance of my career so far and I'm happy to report that I'm NOT now experiencing the biggest crash of my career, too.

There was a time in my life when I would push myself to make the climb, peak, and then crash and burn, needing days or weeks to recover physically, emotionally and spiritually. At some point, I realized this wasn't working for me. There had to be another way.

Balance, anyone?

Balance can be tough to achieve. I once had a yoga teacher who said if you're falling over in Vrkasana (AKA Tree Pose, which involves standing on one leg at a time) then your life's balance is out of whack. I wasn't too crazy about hearing this little bit of truth because I was unsteady in the pose.

Today I can stand completely still in Vrkasana but it took a series of painful lessons to get here.

Through regularly occurring breakdowns after pushing myself too hard, I was forced to learn how to balance my time and my energy. Those of you who are regular readers know that I've shifted my perception a number of times in order to reduce the scale of the Big O Project in my mind. But by making it "just a job" I've been able to stay grounded.

Yesterday, I took a day of rest and today I will get some work done but take it easy, too. I'm not lying on the couch, sick as a dog, feeling depressed and mournful, recovering from an immeasurable high. I did a gig, it was big, and life is continuing on.

That said, it's important to celebrate the highs, too. And O.M.F'N.G., you guys, it was awesome.

Inspiring Message of the Day: I will continue to strive for balance in my life today. I will not push so hard that a crash is inevitable and I will not retreat so far that coming back is painful. Mindful, forward movement is the best practice.