Looking up the word Off-Balance in the Cambridge University dictionary, one will find the following definition: “confused or uncertain about what to do next.” Instead of choosing flourish for What’s Your Word to represent the year 2020 (and even into the beginning of 2021), I think the word Off-Balance might be a more accurate descriptor for me personally, how about you? As a result of feeling confused or uncertain about what to do next, my thoughts on developing a Habit of Margin might need a little revision in order to include some instructions for creating margin during a pandemic! Based on conversations with friends and colleagues, many of us are experiencing a Season of Life where we feel a bit Off-Balance and are seeking strategies which might guide us to a place of equilibrium.

If the pilgrimage to a flourishing life is veering off course, how do we regain a sense of balance before we manage to steer our life over the edge of a cliff? What insightful advice is effective to align our paths with where God desires us to be, and what wisdom can we seek that prevents us from crashing through our guardrails and burning out our Flames professionally? How many more questions can I pose in a single paragraph without offering any useful guidance? I digress! I do consider an initial step in the process of removing the sensation of being Off-Balance might be to hit the Pause Button and evaluate our current situation and what Missing Pieces might be causing this unsettled feeling.

Personally, I am able to identify a few areas of my life that have been thrown Off-Balance because of COVID-19, which I believe have also contributed to some of the Missing Pieces in my life. Here I will share a few, and I encourage you to consider pondering your own list: (1) Limited travel- adventuring to new places, Racing to Roam,  and seeing more of God’s creation thrills me to the core; (2) Altered Schedules – as I shared in Life Interrupted, I relish the rhythm and routine of an academic year which has been disrupted for a prolonged period; (3) Canceled sports – I experience a great sense of delight in watching Union’s athletic teams (and many of my students) along with other athletes engaging in their passion; (4) Technology drain – as a staunch advocate for online learning and using the technology available to educators, the reality is that it’s use really drains my energy, perhaps due to all the distractions that don’t appear as evident to me in face-to-face interactions; and (5) Negative news – in a culture that is already plagued with anxiety and stress, I find my desire for critical information to be washed out by too many opinions and few too many facts.

Hopefully, my attempt at transparency will allow you to not feel isolated in your own struggles. During this season, welcome advice is being spoken into me from the wisdom of numerous authors, leaders, and Scripture; and my hope is to share that guidance in future posts, so please consider revisiting this site. However, today, perhaps you might find reassurance, and like me, be encouraged to navigate a new course in order to overcome the challenges that we experience in life, pandemic or not! Hoping to avoid allowing this period of being Off-Balance to turn into a season of cynicism, I plan to follow Carey Nieuwhof’s advice in Didn’t See it Coming to develop a Habit of Resilience, and I hope, you too, will find wise counsel which will allow you the opportunity to return to a place of equilibrium.

So, please stay tuned for more on what I am learning, and please feel free to share in the comments below your own obstacles that have left you feeling a bit Off-Balance.

References:

Cambridge University Press. (2021). Off-balance. In Cambridge University Dictionary. Retrieved from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/off-balance

Nieuwhof, C. (2018). Didn’t see it coming: Overcoming the seven greatest challenges that no one expects but everyone experiences. Waterbrook.