Create a LIFE to be passionate about!

First of all a brief introduction. My name is Rachel and I am a 26-year-old woman trying to create and maintain my life of passion. However, I am not alone in this mission: I am part of a team. Our pen name is "The Lowe Writers". Cheesy or clever. I choose clever. My partner in crime, Greg, and I have been excited by the idea of blogging, and sharing our struggles, triumphs, joys, laughter, and simple advice with those willing to listen.

The specific topic of "balance", often pertaining to my lack of such, has been brought up within the constraints of my often over-packed life consistently since my time as an undergraduate student. I am taking it as a sign that perhaps this is a topic I should write about, not only because it continually crosses my path, but because it is something I struggle with constantly. Since graduation in 2004, I have been heavily consumed with finding "work" I'm passionate about. However, I am finally coming to the realization that work is only one part of my life. Yes it takes up a good chunk of my day and yes I want to like what I do, but no matter WHAT job I choose there are going to be days I hate getting up in the morning and portions of the work that I would prefer not to do. So that's why I am now placing the focus on finding passion in the design of my LIFE...in its entirety.

In my experience, the primary obstacle of creating a passionate life is a lack of balance. Sure there are numerous articles about how to balance work and family, how to balance a budget, how to achieve physical balance through Yoga, but I'm talking about the bigger picture: balancing an entire life. Our existence contains so many spheres - we have our work life, home life, love life, family life, emotional life, spiritual life, physical life, financial life, etc. How is it possible to keep all of these in check and in balance?

I believe balance is the most difficult, and most rewarding part of life. It may be easy to succeed at one thing if it becomes a sole focus. Take getting fit for example: if this was the sole focus in my life it would be easy to spend all my free time at the gym, cooking healthy meals, and paying personal trainers to help me get rid of those blasted love handles and so on and so on. But then what would happen to the other portions of my life? My love life for example. I'm sure my partner would not be happy that instead of making time for him, I am now only making time for the weight machine. Maybe at the beginning he or she will appreciate the effort because you are taking care of yourself, but soon will begin to resent the fact that they are home alone during you usual date night. Personal trainers are expensive as well, so my financial life may also be adversely affected. Physical fitness is very important, but I do not want it to be the focus of my life; I want it to be part of my life.

I'd like to take this "first" entry to focus on the meaning of balance. Yes, I am guilty of performing the cliche act of looking up the definition in an online dictionary, but to my surprise there were far more definitions than I imagined. Here are the most applicable:

1) A state of equilibrium or parity characterized by cancellation of all forces by equal opposing forces.

2) The power or means to decide and outcome by throwing one's strengths, influence, support, or the like, to one side or the other.

3) A state of bodily equilibrium or the ability to MAINTAIN bodily equilibrium.

4) A stable mental or psychological state; emotional stability.

5) A harmonizing or satisfying arrangement or proportion of parts or elements, as in a design.

6) An influence or force tending to produce equilibrium; counterpoise.

7) The difference in magnitude between opposing forces or influences.

I find it incredible that each of these definitions is so unique, yet so applicable to life. In posts to follow, my partner and I may focus on one or several of these definitions. But I felt this was a good base to start our journey of trial and discovery.