Keys to finding balance in life

Keys to finding balance in life

Social media, when used both personally and professionally, allows for a great public expression of positivity and energy.

by Emmanuel Dagher —  

Part of staying in alignment — keeping your outer life in balance with your true values — is remaining honest with yourself and others. A business that does not operate from integrity often does not succeed. Being transparent, open and honest will be a reflection of your true self and will encourage others to invest in you and your desires.

For example, I have noticed that many members of the wellness community do not like having a social media platform. Some of my colleagues in the wellness and holistic health fields do not feel that social media can be an extension of their personal self. They only utilize social media, if at all, as an outlet for business purposes. What they are missing is that social media can also be used to create communities.

When I first began to develop my social media platform, I was advised by several people not to put too much of my energy into it because it would take away from my practice elsewhere. I thanked them for their input, but I had a good feeling about social media, so I decided to give it a try anyway. It has worked out amazingly well for me. Without my social media connections, I would not have succeeded nearly as quickly.

Social media, when used both personally and professionally, allows for a great public expression of positivity and energy. Running social media for your business does not have to — and should not — feel like work. It should be a connection you have. Social media is not a narcissistic practice unless you make it one. It is community building and networking for both business and friendship.

By using our professional accounts to also discuss ideas and concepts that matter to us personally, we open ourselves up to greater opportunities for raising awareness about our businesses or about something we are deeply passionate about, such as a cause, charity or fundraising event. I look to social media as a way to ask how I can be kind, loving and positive — and of service to my community.

I see social media as an extension of us as people, as human beings. It allows us to connect with people we might have otherwise never met. This generates a huge, positive network of like-minded people who are capable of creating great change. Similar to the way mantras work — where the energy you tap into has been built upon by thousands or millions of people — social media has access to a wealth of energy and the possibility of creating intense, meaningful relationships across the globe.

My follower base on Twitter, Facebook and other platforms built themselves because I did not see it as work. I saw it as a way to connect and share with other people.

Creating balance in your life is an important investment in your future growth and prosperity. When one area of your life demands the bulk of your time, an imbalance is created, and you will inevitably feel that imbalance in other areas of your life.

Here are three keys to creating balance and alignment with who you are:

1. Do what you love. Work should be fun. It should not feel like work, and it should not feel separate from your personal life. Your work and personal lives should be entwined, to a healthy extent. You should be able to go out and have fun with friends and family, but you should also be having fun at work and feeling a sense of enjoyment while working.

2. Cultivate a spiritual practice. This can include things such as meditation or taking a walk in nature. This practice should help you find your center and give your mind a break from thinking about your to-do list so that you are better able to focus on your spiritual development. Without spiritual development, we cut ourselves off from a huge portion of the energy that the universe is willing to give us.

3. Play. This one always makes my clients grin. Play can come in many forms, from things like drawing, painting or playing an instrument, to literal playing — running around the yard with your kids or going to an amusement park. It is your time to turn off your mind and to just let loose. You might prefer play when it is in the form of going to the movies or putting together a dinner party with your friends. Either way, play is crucial for all stages of life and development.

These three keys allow for balance in your life between work and personal time. It is important to keep your own energy cup full so you can both give to and receive from others. If your cup is perpetually full, you might want to find time to give a bit more. If your cup is always running dry, remember to let others give to you and to honor them by accepting their gifts.

Your cup running dry might also be a symptom of being out of alignment, so make sure to double-check that what you are doing in each area of your life is making you happy.

Emmanuel Dagher is a transformation specialist, holistic health practitioner, inspirational social media personality and speaker. He is the author of Easy Breezy Miracles and Easy Breezy Prosperity: The Five Foundations for a More Joyful Abundant Life. emmanueldagher.com.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 35, Number 1, February/March 2016.