Balance and Discipline...

I came across this saying and image somewhere on my google reader. I don't remember where it's from... I just saved it because I liked it. Props to whoever found it and posted it.

I've been thinking a lot lately about productivity and balance. In discussions with a few of you guys we have reiterated this as well, but I think the purpose of life is to find balance. There are a million things pulling us in every which direction -

• current employment
• the pressure for future employment
• maintaining past professional relationships
• current socialization and making friends
• maintaining friends from the past
• opening up future social situations
• keeping up with family members and supporting them
  
• personal hobbies
• church callings (although I'm still waiting on getting one in my new ward)
• personal spiritual development
• serving those around us
• temple worship
• personal scripture study and prayer
• dealing with our emotional issues and baggage - we all know we have some (or a lot)
  
• dating (or trying to) at various times
  
• working out
• eating healthy and well balanced meals
• finding some time to relax so that we don't become overwhelmed or burned out

Our world is not structured for the reclusive or easily overwhelmed. I'm not at the point of being overwhelmed or anywhere near it - there are portions of the list that are overwhelming, but I've found a working balance for the time being. It takes a plan and really making balance a priority to pull it off. This isn't the easy stuff - this is the full-fledged battle. I hope each of you can find a balance and figure out where you need to be personally and where each of the elements in your life fall in order of importance.

More than anything - I hope you are happy. Happy at the core - happy because no matter what is going on in life there is hope in the future and someone loves you. That isn't to say that life isn't hard... just that it will be okay - somehow it will work out.