Energizing, satisfying, engaging, introspective, exciting, insightful, smart, current, thoughtful, illuminating, nourishing and colorful. This fall, I found myself standing in front of a wall of words at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. I was immediately drawn to the bright colors, bold graphics and choice of words. I suppose they represented the promise of what the museum was about to offer.

As I entered the museum, I left the words behind. Some paintings were familiar, like old friends. Other exhibits had things I’d never seen before. It was fun and stimulating to see the different galleries.  When something caught my eye, I stopped. Things that didn’t interest me, I passed by. I was selective.

I started to think about how visiting a museum is very much like how we live our lives. There is so much to choose from. There are many things to experience. It doesn’t all make sense or even interest us. Life can even be overwhelming because of the vast amount of choices, so we search for a comfortable balance. We pursue what “catches our eye.”

For me, I’d rather see a little and really enjoy my time, than try to take in everything and become overloaded. Perhaps it has something to do with pacing or maybe it’s a matter of knowing when to say “no.” Finding that right balance takes effort. Sometimes we have to go overboard in one direction before we can bring ourselves back to a place that feels better.

I often hear comments like, “life is so crazy” or “life is so busy.” It’s as if we allow ourselves to visit every gallery and view every painting. We don’t let ourselves be more selective. For me, I’ve figured out that to truly enjoy my experiences, whether it’s being with family, working with clients, visiting a museum or reading a good book, it’s essential that I allow myself time to focus on those things singularly. I don’t try to pile multiple things on one another. I’m like the kid that doesn’t like her peas and carrots to touch. Give me one thing at a time so I can fully enjoy it without any other distractions. Perhaps that’s a bit extreme. Ultimately, you want to find the right life balance and mix that works for you.

The word wall that promised also delivered. My time spent at the museum was energizing, satisfying and colorful. In fact, the wall of words set the tone for the rest of my day in the city. Each experience was enjoyed, one moment at a time.

When do you feel most balanced? How do you know when you’re out of balance?

Holidays are an interesting time of the year. With fall comes the big Thanksgiving feast, some extra time off from work, eating lots of delicious food and visiting with family and friends that we may not get to see so often. Routines are altered in a variety of ways. For some this change becomes very stressful and for others the time is enjoyable.

To be honest, I suppose I experienced a bit of each. There was some stress involved in preparing to host twenty-one people for Thanksgiving dinner. In the past, I’ve planned several weeks in advance for big events like this. However, all I had prepared in advance this time was buying the napkins. Since the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving had been particularly busy, I never stopped to plan the meal. It was only a few days before that my husband and I had our discussion to figure things out. This was unusual for us and that’s where the stress came in. 

Interestingly enough, once we did talk, everything fell into place with the shopping, cooking and cleaning. With our plan in hand, we knew what we needed to do and when. By the time everyone arrived Thanksgiving day, we were able to totally enjoy our family and the meal. There is nothing quite as wonderful as filling your house with the people that you love. I was grateful to have everyone together.

During the next few days, I had the chance to just play and relax. These were my “resting days,” as my mom called them. As she has often said, “We all need time to relax.” This is so true. Taking a break from our routines and busy schedules is essential to our well-being. It is all too easy to get caught up in the cycle of continually doing and not give ourselves the time to just be.

As today was uncharacteristically warm and sunny for a New York fall day we decided it was the perfect day for a walk. My husband suggested going on a path we’d never taken before. The route took us along the Hudson River and it was spectacular. Parts of the path led to sandy areas. The wonderful scent in the air reminded me of our beach vacations. Allowing myself to enjoy the day, enabled me to come back home feeling energized and ready for the surprises ahead.