My Word for 2023: Balance, Part 1

I don’t make resolutions and try not to share my goals out loud. I know there is a rewarding effect just by sharing these thoughts with others and I don’t need any more “easy dopamine” in my life. My word gives me focus and makes meaning out of the prior years experiences and lessons learned.

My word for 2023 is “Balance”.

Balance (definition a version taken from Thesaurus.com):

(noun)

1. a state of equilibrium or equipoise; equal distribution of weight, amount, etc.
2. Something used to produce equilibrium; counterpoise.
3. Mental steadiness or emotional stability; habit of calm behavior, judgment, etc.
4. A state of bodily equilibrium
5. The remainder or rest

…and so forth.

For me this word represents, first and foremost the reminder to be present and to be aware of how spirit communicates and brings us to where we need to be. I think about that fortune cookie moment in 2011 when I was working the Pagami Creek Fire in Northeast Minnesota.

While assigned to the Pagami Creek Fire in Northern Minnesota, I literally had a “fortune cookie” moment and became aware how my boys needed my presence as a Father. I recognized the need to focus on my family more than my own development as a leader within the firefighting ranks. I was repeating the path of my father, avoiding true emotional connection and running to work when things got hard at home. I won’t tell the story here, but this was a moment of Awareness in my life that hit me hard.

I am reminded to balance the energy I put into my work and family. Balance the needs of myself with the needs of others. Balance my time between work, rest, play, and connection with others.

The Dark Side of Learning, Too much Consumption and Burn out

“Dopamine without effort will destroy a person.”- Andrew Huberman

For purpose-driven individuals, especially hard charging dreamers like myself, who have a desire to help others and teach, can get sucked into consuming and chasing after more learning. This becomes a problem when this information gathering isn’t put into practice or action.

I have a love for learning. When I’m deep in thought and learning new things it is a trigger for getting into a flow state. I also get a lot of feeling of belonging and connection when others in my life are learning and sharing their life stories with me. This drive to learn and connect I’ve come to believe is probably a deep instinctual survival mechanism.. The drive to learn definitely requires energy. And something that needs to be balanced.

It can become too much for someone like me. I have to tell you that I am an empath and very much absorb and take on the emotions of others. The virtual platforms are amazing for learning and connecting in many ways, but the physical and real life connection with Nature is missing for me. These platforms make it easy to just consume, and hide behind the screen, disconnecting from real world connection.

So, for me, this word reminds me to ground myself with nature and real life interactions and physical activity. (Which, to me, includes turning on the video and engaging on virtual platforms but also being able to step away without feelings of missing out.)

When consumption produces no action, it becomes just a waste of our time (which most claim is one of our most important assets) and energy. By pushing the edge of our experience and comfort we grow and learn through hard earned reward and recognition.

This word reminds me to balance my consumption with production and action.

Words have a lot of meaning and my word is sacred. I don’t give my word lightly.