The leaves have fallen. A quiet respite. Bitter cold with a strong wind. Nature holds a true compass of change. Orchestrated rhythm that allows for preparation, rest then growth. Nature’s balance is in the four seasons.

Take a cue from nature. Autumn can be a pause before the bustle of the holidays. Winter is a time for hibernating. Days are shorter, nights are longer, which allows our body to rest and recharge. Set your internal clock to think about and weigh expectations. Be introspective. Reflect. Relax.

Expectations become the precursor to anxious feelings. Goals become mired with unrealistic ambitions. An unraveling process begins. Budding to do lists. Marathon shopping. Blurred imagines of cherished memories in the making. The question of “how” to balance it all. Even a bewildered sense of dread. Is it over yet?

Balance seems like a fleeting thought etched into the framework of a frenetic life. Work, Life, Play, Family, Love, Solitude. The increased demands decay that sense of balance.

Tap into that internal list rather than the presence of glittery images. Redefine your core values. Realign after your holiday plans. Embrace the prospective of achieving the deeper meaning of the life and family. Gratitude. Blessings. Wonder. Sharing from the heart. Simple expressions of love, of giving and of kindness. Meaningful gestures that perpetuate a true joy.

Inadvertently we relinquish balance. Words like “should” “but” work adversely to keep harmony. Hold them at bay.

Balance is a fine line held within. A bold statement of who you are. Balance is the pause, the thought process which centers your thinking. It redefines your planning. Balance helps remove the need for over the top expressions. It pulls you back to family centered and a more simply life. Thoughtful gestures extended into meaningful days. Sometimes the simplest act of kindness has the greatest effect.

Often balance is compromised by leaving thoughts and expectations dangling. Lack of clear definition is unsettling. Achieving balance comes from listening to the whisper that says slow down. A reminder to stay in the moment. Let go of responding to the hurried pace of scattered thoughts. Abandon the mile long to do list. Live within the day and cherish the moment. Balance is a nurtured attitude of keeping things in prospective.

The cycle continues wrapped in balance yet anticipation. Autumn falls into Winter … Winter pauses into Spring … Spring blossoms into Summer. Stark difference within a balanced life.