I wrote a book a few years ago called The Tightrope Tango, Unleashing the Power of Balance. It was a parable book on work/life balance. One of the principles in the book was the importance of nurturing replenishing relationships. Here’s what I mean . . .
There are some relationships that drain the life out of us. This is not meant to be unkind. It is simply true. When we are with these people we feel every ounce of energy being sucked from our body. An hour with them feels like all day. Then, there are other relationships that seem to pour energy into you. When you are with these people you can’t believe how fast the time flies by. To live a healthy life, you must minimize the relationships that suck the life out of you and you must foster the relationships that are life giving.
As a young man I didn’t know how to protect myself with my personal calendar. The first person who contacted me got my time. That meant others always seemed to have control of my life. I was totally at their mercy. It meant large blocks of personal time would be filled with nothing but draining relationships. Several years ago I figured out that was not a good strategy for a big life. I now take my private time very seriously. I want to be in the presence of people who celebrate me and not just tolerate me. I try every week to schedule time with family and friends who make me laugh. I like being with people who are intellectually stimulating. I like to feel my life stretching and growing because of these interactions. And, I like knowing when I am hanging with my friends I am in a sacred loving place where I am safe to be me.
If your life is out of balance this might be an area you need to address. I talk about it in a lot more detail in the book. If you’d like to read further, you can pick up a copy on my website at Raywaters.com.
