Balance

A few months ago, just after Zach was born, Rich came home from a church function and told me that we (Rich and I) had been asked to present a youth fireside for our ward and the Pioneer ward at the end of the month.

I was a bit shocked, worried and not at all thrilled. I was exhausted from getting up with a newborn and tired from getting three sets of homework done each night and driving them to lessons and scouts. Weekends were filled with soccer and baseball. I was preparing lessons and teaching the Laurels every week. This new task seemed intimidating and daunting. Plus, I didn't think hauling six kids to a fireside at night sounded fun, let alone hope they would sit still through the whole thing.

Rich, being wiser than I, immediately said we would. I secretly hoped we wouldn't have to.

As the day of the fireside drew near, I started to get nervous. We had not been given a topic and for me, that made it even harder. Out of all the possible themes, which was the most important to me?

Rich attended a scout meeting the week before and the bishop was there. Rich asked Bishop Blodgett if he had any things he would like me to talk about. The Bishop came through and said that he would be interested in hearing how I keep balance in my life.

When Rich passed the idea along to me, I knew it would work. I am far from perfect when it comes to keeping balance in my life. I stay up way too late. I am not the best at schedules. I tend to do things when I have to, instead of planning ahead.

I instantly realized planning this talk would not only be beneficial to the youth, but could help me strengthen some of my weaknesses. I knew if I followed the principles I was going to present, I could greatly improve my life for the better.

As the New Year is fast approaching and the chaos of the holiday season is upon us all, I wanted to post my talk, so I can look back on it for a reference when life gets out of hand and to give me the strength and resolve to do better each day. Because I think never giving up is the most important part of achieving success.

Maintaining Balance in our Lives

A scale is used to weigh things or to help achieve balance.

I looked up the word balance in the dictionary. There were 25 definitions.

The two that stood out to me were:

1. a state of equilibrium; equal distribution

1. The power to decide an outcome by throwing ones strength, influence, support, or the like, to one side or the other.

(Equilibrium: state of balance due to the equal balance of opposing forces or influence.)

So the questions I pose tonight is this: How can we live a life of balance? How can I remain strong and valiant against the opposing forces of this world, and over come bad or negative influence. And above all, How can I achieve great things during my time here on earth and become the person Heavenly Father knows I can be?

I think the first question we must ask ourselves is: What do I want to do with my life. It all starts with a PLAN. We see it with Heavenly Father. He designed The Plan of Salvation or The Plan of Happiness. Heavenly Father certainly was not going to send us down here to Earth and just see what happens as it goes. Thought, knowledge, prayer, faith and work went into The Plan. We were active participants. The same must be done for our own lives.

I think of taking a trip. You might have a destination, but without a plan or a map, you could easily get lost. We need to stop and ponder what direction we are headed and where we want to be in the end. Then it is up to us to do the work to chart a course to get us safely there.

The best way to do that is to set goals.

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, in a talk titled: Life's Lessons Learned said, "Many of the most important and life-changing moments of my life occurred when I was a young man. The lessons I learned then formed my character and shaped my destiny. Without them, I would be a very different man and in a very different place than I am today. I have known many great men and women. Although they have different backgrounds, talents, and perspectives, they all have this in common: they work diligently and persistently towards achieving their goals. It’s easy to get distracted and lose focus on the things that are most important in life. I’ve tried to remember the lessons I learned from Coach Oswald and prioritize values that are important to me so that I can keep my eye focused on things that really matter. I urge you to examine your life. Determine where you are and what you need to do to be the kind of person you want to be. Create inspiring, noble, and righteous goals that fire your imagination and create excitement in your heart. And then keep your eye on them. Work consistently towards achieving them."

“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams,” wrote Henry David Thoreau, “and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”

With a plan filled with goals and check points we truly can achieve what we dreamed.

When I was a child, we made an 8 track recording of my voice. Even at three I had a plan for my future. I was going to be a nurse, cheerleader and a ballerina. While I didn't become all of those things, it was important for me to have a plan. There are a few things I set my mind to and worked hard to achieve those goals. The only way I saw these things through was to persevere through various obstacles and challenges and work hard and never give up.

* When I was in high school, I had the wonderful opportunity to run six day a week with my Mom. We started slowly and eventually ran five to six miles every morning before I left for school. At times when I had an early morning class, we would rise at 5 AM to get our run in. Over the years, I ran many races and was victorious in a few. These achievements were only accomplished by setting goals, consistently working hard and staying dedicated to the plan.

* Getting an education is something I am profoundly grateful for. Knowledge is power. I have known that my entire life and it helped me see the value of working hard in school. When I completed high school I was able to receive academic scholarships at BYU-Hawaii and later BYU. I received my BS in elementary education and loved using my degree teaching children in Utah and later in Kentucky. Though I am not in a paid teaching position now, I use the knowledge I gained over the years every day as I teach my own children. I know by setting goals early in life, I was able to stay focused and never lose sight of the end goal.

* The most important goal I had in my life was to find a wonderful man to marry in the temple and to become a mother. May 10, 1996 was the best day of my life, because it is the day I met Rich. He has enriched and blessed my life beyond measure. Our children are our greatest joy and blessing. These two goals are what I am most proud to have accomplished. They are my true rewards of life.

Another key factor to having a life of balance is making sure we have ORDER.

Mosiah 4:27 And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize;

Again, Heavenly Father is a great example to us. In the Bible in Genesis we can read and learn about the Creation. It took seven days to create the Earth. Each day had a purpose and the order was critical. The next step hinged on the previous one.

There are two main factors in maintaining order: We have to prioritize our lives and we can not procrastinate.

Priorities: What is important to you? Is it getting an education, serving a mission, being married in the temple. These things can vary from person to person, but once you know what is most important, you can then make sure you make time to accomplish these thing.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks said: "We also need priorities. Our priorities determine what we seek in life." Make sure your priorities are the BIG things that will keep you moving in the right direction. I think of different tasks I am required to do every day. When I fail to have a plan, I certainly can not prioritize the things that need to be done. I will often find myself wasting time not knowing where to start or simply find I did not allow myself enough time to get something accomplished because I didn't do the important things first.

The other way to keep our lives running smoothly is to avoid Procrastination, or the “I’ll start later” syndrome, is probably one of the most commonly regretted failings of mankind. How often have we said, and meant it too, “Next time I’ll start sooner”? It sounds simple enough. But, somehow, next time is just like this time, and we’re late again.

It’s been suggested that if someone summoned all the world’s procrastinators and laid them end-to-end, it would be a pretty short line, because most of them wouldn’t show up till next week.

There is a simple way to overcome procrastination, so simple, in fact, that you probably won’t be impressed until you try it. But it really works and surprisingly well. Ready? Here it is: Sneak up on it. Another way to say it is: Do a little at a time.It’s really the lazy man’s way of getting a job done. Whether is is a fireside talk, a YM lesson or an assignment for school, waiting until the last few days or even hours to get something started can lead to un-needed stress, panic and often leaves us with a sub par performance. Eventually the work must be done, so you might as well start early and avoid the problems that can and often arise when you procrastinate.

Another component to keeping balance is having the right PERSPECTIVE. This helps keep us focused and moving in the right direction and helps us stick to our original plan.

I love astronomy, just like my dad. We spent many night looking up in the sky discussing various constellations. One of my favorite pictures in my home is of the Andromeda Galaxy.

To some people, the picture of something so enormous and far away would leave them feeling small and insignificant. They might think they are only one tiny person on a huge planet called Earth. They might wonder- How in the world do I matter? How can one so small make a difference?

I look at the picture and have a completely opposite approach. I look at this vast galaxy and am utterly amazed that through all space and time, I am of infinite worth. I realize that even though there are billions of stars in the sky and billions of people on our Earth, Heavenly Father knows me. He loves me. He hears my prayers. He wants me to succeed. I am his daughter. It gives me strength and purpose. It helps me to see beyond right now and live a life that will get me to where I need to be later on.

Jay E. Jensen wrote, "Always keep an eternal perspective. That truth can become a pillar of strength."

Neal A. Maxwell said, "What is desperately needed is longitudinal perspective, the hope of the gospel. Today's put down is then places in the perspective of our being lifted up tomorrow in God's plan of happiness.

The final part of the puzzle of maintaining balance is realizing we will all be ACCOUNTABLE for our lives and the choices we make during our time here on Earth. The principle of accountability also applies to the precious hours and days allotted to each of us during our time in mortality. We are accountable for how we use that time. “Thou shalt not idle away thy time” (D&C 60:13), and “Cease to be idle” (D&C 88:124).

James E. Faust said, " While we are not all equal in experience, aptitude, and strength, we have different opportunities to employ these spiritual gifts, and we will all be accountable for the use of the gifts and opportunities given to us."

We are accountable and will be judged for how we use what we have received. This eternal principle applies to all we have been given. In the parable of the talents (see Matt. 25:14–30), the Savior taught this principle with reference to the use of property. Heavenly Father expects us to not only use our time wisely, but wisely use the talents and abilities he has blessed us with.

I know as we strive to incorporate balance into our lives by MAKING A PLAN, MAINTAINING ORDER, KEEPING AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE and BEING ACCOUNTABLE we can live a life Heavenly Father will be pleased with and we can become the person Heavenly Father would have us be. By setting goals, keeping our prioritizes, avoiding procrastination, listening to the prophets, keeping an eternal perspective, having faith, and being of good cheer, we can face life’s unexpected challenges and prosper and flourish. We can return to our Heavenly Father with joy in our hearts and a knowledge that we truly became our best selves.