Get back on track with Retief’s advice for a better life
Starting the new year with to much on your plate is frustrating and disheartening. With you and your partner fighting more than ever, children not listening, and life becoming a constant juggling act, chances are your life is out of balance.
POLOKWANE – According to www.daysoftheyear.com January is Get A Balanced Life Month and Review spoke to life coach, Retief Booysen, about how to get your life balanced out.
“People struggle to get balance because they do not know how to take responsibility for what they can do.”
According to Booysen, the first step in getting your life in balance you must understand how a Global Positioning System (GPS) works. “A GPS cannot guide you to your preferred destination if your location is not mapped. You should know what your starting location is. If you lie to yourself about where you are in life, your outcome is limited. Integrity is about what you do, feel, say and think.”
Booysen explains that a lot of people underestimate what is within their circle of influence. “Stephen Covey in his self-help book ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’ explained that there is two circles, the circle of influence and the circle of concern. To live a balanced live you have to be proactive, not reactive. The circle of influence is the one where you are affected by things you can change and do something about. Proactive people focus their time and energy on these things.
A Circle of Concern encompasses the wide range of concerns we have, such as the petrol price and political problems whereas a Circle of Influence encompasses those concerns that we can do something about, the things we have control over. They are concerns that we have some control over.
“People who struggle to live a balanced live, struggle with resilience. Resilience is how you handle criticism, negativity, disappointment, setbacks, stress and chaos with competence and capacity in a meaningful and productive way. People who struggle with balance are those that cannot take responsibility for what they can do.”
According to Booysen a person needs to learn to be vulnerable. “Learn how to communicate your needs. You are worthy of your needs. You are allowed to be who you are. There is value in discovering your uniqueness. Uniqueness is worthy.”
Lastly he says that no matter where you are in your life, take responsibility for what you can do. “Take one step in the direction where you can take responsibility. Getting balance in your life is an ongoing process. For every new season, there is a new balance.”
