Women Living Well - Spring 2005
Student Papers
On Serendip

Balance is an important aspect in our everyday lives. In some point of our life, everyone wants to achieve balance. Balance helps facilitate our busy everyday lives. However, I feel that it is impossible to have complete or perfect balance. Balance is stability, from managing time correctly to eating healthy to being mindful in one's thinking. Each of these themes corresponds with one another in relation to defining and creating a balanced life.

Mimi Murray, the Bryn Mawr and Haverford's Bi-College Nutritionist, spoke on mindful eating. She discussed that the foods that we choose to eat affect our everyday lives. Mimi stated that what we eat could help one achieve balance in their life. For example, she stressed the importance of eating breakfast, for if one does not eat breakfast, it can ruin the balance of their lives. We need nutrition, carbohydrates, fats and proteins in order to function in our lives. Functioning properly, from thinking to taking care of our bodies, all play a defining role in balance.

Marc Schultz, a psychology professor at Bryn Mawr, spoke of the relationship of Mindfulness and Brooding. He urged us to be mindful rather than brooding, for if we analyze too much of something, we will be capable of losing balance. Being mindful is crucial to balance, for if we prioritize ourselves, we will be capable of achieving balance easily.

In addition, Glenn Smith, head of Bryn Mawr College facilities, mentioned the importance of time management. He urged the audience to prioritize and rank tasks by importance. For example, if one wants to earn a better grade in school, they will prioritize their time accordingly: they would probably spend less time socializing with their friends and at dinner, and spend the majority of their time studying. Using these prioritizing methods will help one achieve their own degree of balance accordingly. These time management techniques also help one easily manage their time in order to achieve their own degree of balance. His lecture ties into Marc and Mimi's lecture, for one should to be mindful in the time they spend doing an action.

Finally, Matt Brzycki, the Coordinator Stephens Fitness Center in Princeton University spoke of a balanced workout. He said that one does not necessarily achieve their full potential of exercise by doing the same exercise everyday, for example riding the treadmill at the gym daily for an hour. We can be prone to the same cycle and thus, our workout can be in effective. Matt urged everyone to be mindful when working out. We should be aware of our balance and self-management. If you are not able to work out for your usual thirty minutes but only fifteen; then work out for the fifteen to the fullest potential that you are capable.

Nonetheless, I believe that it is impossible to achieve perfect balance. However, there are many ways to help facilitate our lives and achieve a degree of balance that you feel comfortable. Time management, reflecting, eating right and working out enable one to achieve balance more easily. Time management helps one prioritize their schedule, while being mindful makes one look at the whole picture. Mindful is about being observant about your surroundings and aware of what is going on around you. Being mindful is crucial for your health for it makes you look at things in a different perspective. For example, if you were too brooding, you would always be depressed and look at the downside of things; however, a mindful person looks around the surroundings and sees the positive aspect of something. Mind, body and wellness play an important aspect in our everyday lives. It is important that we all try to find some balance within our lives, it does not necessarily have to be perfect, but I sense that it is essential to achieving a healthier life. Nevertheless, it is important to find that connection in order to achieve a more balanced, healthy lifestyle.


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