Balance is an Invisible Constant in Our Lives
The Universe is an elaborate ecosystem. A staggeringly vast quantity of complex forces intersect, interdepend and balance for us to be alive. We need to appreciate that our life is an ecosystem too and use multi-dimensional thinking to better understand our decisions, ideas, feelings, emotions and thoughts. We should not view these in isolation of the whole ecosystem of life. Balance is always needed. Balance is an invisible constant in our lives.
The Universe is an Ecosystem
The Universe is a giant ecosystem, hung in order by an intricate balance of invisible forces.
The elaborate Universe emerged gradually over billions of years, into the dazzling richness, diversity and complexity it is today, through a long succession of self-organising and self-complexifying processes. What happens in front of us at any one time is simply extraordinary; it is the end result of millions of forces interacting amongst each other for billions of years.
On a cosmological scale, the history of the Universe is one of increasing complexification. The number of elements involved, forces in balance and unknown interdependencies is only becoming more complicated. Yet, everything as we know it, is in perfect balance, exactly how it is meant to be.
Earth has similar forces and patterns, making the planet an ecosystem - a dynamic equilibrium within a community of organisms.
There is an expansive and diverse network of ecosystems, from tiny water pools, wide-spanning deserts and polar ice shelves. All the habitats with animals, plants, and microorganisms interact with non-living factors such as landscapes and temperature. It is important for these ecosystems to remain balanced, in order to maintain a life as we know it. There is an interdependence of each factor that exists.
Planets stay in orbit, seeds grow into trees, weather patterns allow forests to grow and a single fertilised cell can grow into a baby. The natural unfolding of these amazing events, and countless more, are being carried out by the incomprehensible balance of forces.
Limits in our Thinking
“Problems cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them”
― Albert Einstein
When it comes to defining problems, developing solutions, or understanding an idea we have a natural tendency to rush to one-dimensional thinking. A way of thinking that involves viewing something in terms of a single linear factor or scale. It helps our brain process ideas, create a narrative and more easily explains concepts.
However, given the complexity of our world, one-dimensional thinking can become problematic or harmful as there are often multiple factors involved, and it is unlikely that ideas can be captured accurately on a simple scale. Especially, for example, our emotions, decisions and beliefs. Our views on intellectually challenging ideas and emotionally complicated situations can cause our minds to be clouded and we naturally extract a simple, incomplete thought from this. This way of thinking prevents us from viewing the truth with perspective and clarity.
In the modern world, there is very little that has a simple cause and effect answer. The world doesn’t have many definitive, concrete and unconditional answers. If we can create a multi-dimensional view of the world, then we can gain that important nuance and subtly that is inherently existent in the world around us.
We Need More Balance in our Lives
We can try and incorporate a more multi-dimensional view which can allow us to understand that there are multiple ideas, thoughts and forces all in balance. Often these are complex and hidden from view; but balance appears to always be present, a constant that we should aim to develop a greater awareness of.
If we approach multi-dimensional thinking in combination with the natural and inherent balance in the world, we can see the important fluctuations and our changing views in our life with more clarity. Instead of viewing pivotal moments as either good or bad, we can appreciate that these will shift and intersect. In comparison to believing a decision must have a yes or no response, we can implement and experiment with some parts but not others. We don’t need to necessarily fit our worlds into two separate and distinct, often quite extreme categories.
For example, we are not simply happy or unhappy. There are times when we are in the middle. There are times when we feel hundreds of emotions on varying levels. Our language, to ourselves or others, may emphasis one part of how we are feeling but there is lots of complexity going on that on a conscious level we simply can’t examine or get close to. We need to appreciate there is an ecosystem of feelings, emotions and thoughts that interact with one another. Our life contains a balance of multiple forces often with lots of complexity involved.
Becoming More Balanced
“Life is so balanced, even when we are not”
― Mohsin Ali Shaukat
When attributes are discussed, they are viewed in one direction. We are either humble or confident. Hard working or lazy. Peaceful or aggressive. But attributes require balance. We need to drift between the two ends at varying levels depending on our judgement of the situation that we are facing. Humble at times, but confident in our abilities if needed. Hard work in combination with rest is the optimal solution. Shifting between a peaceful zen mindset but at times adding some fire and force.
Along with others, I have discussed the importance of consistency; doing things regularly over a prolonged period to benefit from compounding results, instead of short sharp bursts. However, this doesn’t rule out the fact that there are times which need devoted intensity. Times where there are deadlines, or an interesting opportunity that you need to jump on, otherwise it may fade away. We need to combine consistency and intensity in our lives.
Adaptability is an important skill to cultivate in the ever-changing, uncertain environment we live in. But, just as important is defining your own boundaries. Whether this be making sure you make the gym and see family on top of competing priorities that may pop up. We can’t just drop everything because a project or email has suddenly come in. Adaptability for the sake of it is not beneficial, we can flex the amount of adaptability we want to possess at any one time, to make it fit into our own lives.
It’s important to build focus in the modern, distraction intensive world. To block out time to dedicate to projects. Equally though, play and idleness with an unscheduled calendar is required to form new ideas, to cultivate different parts of the brain and to re-energise your mind. Therefore, wanting to stay focused at all costs is more harmful than beneficial. There are times where a lack of focus will prove more worthwhile.
We regularly desire happiness and meaning in our life, but this is only likely to arise through the very opposite; struggles and challenges. Therefore, a challenge or temporary pain can’t be ruled out as a solely negative experience, as this would only be seeing it in isolation to the whole ecosystem of life. A balance of good times and challenging ones makes a fulfilling life. Struggles combined with contentment. Challenge to provide growth and development.
On one level we appreciate that the extremes are never the answer. Sleeping all day is not good for us, but neither is not sleeping at all. Working out and lifting weights every day is not good, rest periods need to be built into routines. Working long hours all the time will reduce our efficiency, so we understand that rest and recharge time is needed. As Aristotle’s said there is a golden mean. But when it comes to some areas our life, in particular our natural patterns of thinking, we become unhealthily fixated on an idea. That we are confident and have to always appear confident, or that we simply have to be consistent every single day of our lives, or that we always have to change our plans so we meet the ideal of adaptability we have labelled ourselves. This is not helpful and we can address it simply by adding balance to our lives.
Final Points
There is an intricate, balanced, elaborate ecosystem in the Universe, on our planet and in our minds. A staggeringly vast quantity of complex forces intersect, interdepend and balance for us to be alive and to create who we are. We may not be able to describe the convoluted processes and reasoning behind ideas, thoughts and emotions, because it is often too complex to examine precisely, but we have to appreciate that this is part of life. This indescribable complexity in the world and minds is part of the wonder of life and as such, should be embraced.
Balance is a constant. We have the choice to incorporate the same benefits that balance gives the Universe, into our own lives too. Answers to questions are not a choice between two extreme options; as the internet often claims. We can be challenged and happy. To set boundaries but be adaptable. To be both humble and confident. To rest and to work. If we attempt to view the world through a multi-dimensional lens, we can start to gauge the world in more meaningful ways. If we become more accepting of the changeability of our beliefs and thoughts, we can get deeper with the issues, and situations we are dealing with.
We need to hold a multitude of varying and opposing ideas in our heads and balance them out. Balance is the invisible constant. Balance is needed in order for us to taste the joys of life in abundance.
