Struggling with life balance?

I’ve been feeling off recently and wasn’t sure why — though I’m in a better place now, hence this post. What am I searching for? Life balance?

A balanced life, maybe?

But what does that actually mean?

What does balance look like and how do you live it? It will be different for everyone, so here’s my take on finding balance in life.

I share a lot because it’s comforting to know we’re not alone in these thoughts.

Almost three years have passed since my life changed completely. It has been a massive learning curve and it continues to be. Losing the life you thought would last forever is devastating. Those who have been through it understand; those who haven’t will find it hard to imagine. Being broken apart so suddenly is shocking, and rebuilding takes time.

We all grow continuously. What happens to us shapes us. Finding a new normal is an interesting, often messy process, full of emotions that shift daily, even hourly.

After three years, life feels very different. The dust settles and you get on with things, but new layers of feeling remain — sadness for what might have been and for the loss of the old life.

My previous life felt more balanced; I didn’t swing so wildly between highs and lows. It does get easier with time — that cliché is true. So finding balance is what I’m aiming for.

Contentment — finding life balance

Are we talking about contentment? Maybe. Am I content? Much of the time, yes. But recently I experienced something strange.

I had just completed my dream extension — my Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy kitchen — and I’m proud I did it by myself. I threw myself into that project with purpose and intensity for four months. When the build finished, the sudden stop was hard to adjust to. On top of that I had some difficult patches with work and tax issues.

All of a sudden life felt overwhelming for no obvious reason. I couldn’t see clearly. I felt anxious, low, listless and utterly exhausted.

So I stopped. I did the things I know help: ate well, stayed hydrated, meditated, rested and listened to music. For a couple of weeks I had no desire to do anything or see anyone — which felt strange but maybe normal.

After practicing self-care, I began to feel better, more energized and alive. I started making plans again, which felt very nice. Maybe I was simply exhausted, or maybe the brighter days helped.

Balanced life

Now I’m thinking about whether we can smooth out emotional ups and downs. Is it possible to stay on an even keel, or is life naturally a rollercoaster? All I want is to reduce the extremes, keep perspective in hard times and remember to breathe. I think I’m learning that.

This is my balanced-life plan / reminders

1. Take control of your life — it’s yours to live.
2. Don’t rely on other people for your happiness. Don’t put the key to your joy in someone else’s pocket.
3. Know you are enough — you arrived alone and one day will leave alone; that truth can be empowering.
4. Believe you can handle things on your own when needed — embrace your capability.
5. Nurture the friendships that matter; they are truly important.
6. Stop worrying — thoughts are just thoughts, not facts. Work with reality, not stories.
7. Try something new — push a little beyond your comfort zone.
8. Forget FOMO — life rarely mirrors the curated social media feed.
9. Dance in the kitchen and sing loudly when you feel like it.
10. Don’t wait for the perfect moment — feel the fear and do it anyway.
11. Be selective with your contacts — ask whether relationships bring you joy and whether effort is mutual.
12. Unfollow accounts on social media that don’t serve you.
13. Look for equal dignity in all relationships.
14. Know your weaknesses and work on them.
15. Allow yourself to just be — release unnecessary pressure.
16. Learn to say no — it can be liberating.
17. Stay calm — avoid panic and trust you will be okay.
18. Get enough sleep — rest is foundational to wellbeing.
19. Drink enough water — basic but important.
20. Get outside and walk regularly.
21. Be kind — to yourself and to others.
22. Remember to breathe — it helps more than you think.
23. If someone truly cares, their actions will show it; confusion often means they’re not that interested.