Balance

“The City that Never Sleeps”

New York has been called “the city that never sleeps.” This can be very true in the aspect of balance and how unbalanced the city can be at times. So many New Yorkers do not seem to know “when” or “how” to rest and replenish their cells. It just seems to be a place where people are constantly “eating” and “exercising” energy. But, when it comes to “sleeping” or truly resting energy, it’s put on the backburner and often receives very little attention.

The “old New York Paul” could do 20+ things minimum a day, yet it is the “New New York Paul” who is happy doing just one. It was such an adjustment after surgery and radiation, as I kept searching for the connection between my mind and body.

My MIND would say: “Sure, you can do that no problem.”

Then, after I did it, my BODY would say: “What the hell did you do? I need to rest and replenish my cells.”

Replenishing cells comes naturally to us, but the key is finding the right balance in doing so. I think this is why New York becomes a very transient city, because it is such a stimulating place that drains people’s batteries. Many have to run away to recharge. They have a hard time resting, just to rise early in the morning and run the same exact race every day that they never seem to finish. Why don’t they finish? Because there is always someone else ahead running faster, and many are constantly trying to catch up to and out run him or her. This, at least, is the perception. The one aspect that I work at daily (in hopes of keeping me sane, or so I think so) here in New York City is taking the time to ground myself, be it meditation, prayer, or honest reflection on how I will run my race. Often, I’ve realized that, if I set the pace and work at feeling my own rhythm, it will determine my sense of balance. Sure, there will be times when people will want me to run at their pace, but once I have given an honest effort, it is important for me to determine if this is a healthy pace for myself and if I will remain in balance. If not, then perhaps it may be time to make a few adjustments towards a change.

I find that many people become frustrated and disappointed by not being at the same pace of others, so they prematurely drop out of the race. The problem with this action is that many do not take the time to wind down and learn from their efforts, and they do not change before giving up. They just start the process all over, jump-starting the next morning by hopping on someone else’s train. They don’t take the time to figure out their own natural pace. In whichever environment we live, whether it is New York City or somewhere else, it is important to determine the balance and pace that works for your life, whether it is running a race in your job, social life, family, or your dream.

In life, there are various situations that can land on our scales. Some can be heavier than most, or at the very least, they appear heavier than others. This is when our “tool of vision” helps us to determine the accurate weight of the object that just landed on our scale, tipping our balance to either healthy or unhealthy. With the right determination, we can choose what needs to be placed on the other side of the scale to maintain balance or what might need to be taken off in efforts to set the right pace.