In week 36 of our 52 Weeks of Chic, we choose harmony over balance.  So what does this mean? What does the harmonious life look like?

Do you sometimes feel like you are always spinning multiple “plates” simultaneously? Bills, housework, a job, relationships, fitness – the list is endless.

You know from experience that if one plate falls, the others will too and trying to keep them steady and spinning is exhausting.

This is what pursuing balance looks like.  It requires constant effort, attention, perfection and energy and is impossible to maintain. 

I know because for years I tried to live a balanced life. I failed.

Each failure was another sucker punch to my self worth and confidence.  It was an all or nothing battle and I was losing.

This vicious cycle continued until one day I told God I’d had enough because it’s simply impossible. He agreed.

Unlike balance, harmony doesn’t require perfection and 24/7 attention. Harmony simply asks that we be selective in what and who we allow into our space. 

Before an art exhibit, a museum curator will carefully select paintings that stand beautifully alone but also complement the piece next to it to creating an exquisite, elegant space to appreciate and enjoy each painting.

She doesn’t try to cram every inch of the walls with any and every piece of art. This is harmony.

Achieving harmony begins with 1) deciding how you want your life to look; then 2) taking an honest inventory of who and what is currently in your space and finally 3) removing the excess, difficult and unnecessary until what remains comes together to create a peaceful harmonious existence that reflects your “how.”

Inventory your beliefs, inner circle, your stuff, habits, social media feeds and other mental food you’re dining on, food choices, etc and begin selecting those that align with your “how.”

It is your space. You get to decide.

A beautiful example of harmony is faith, hope and love. While each holds tremendous value on its own, together they become an unstoppable, powerful force and source of strength, joy and abundance.

Become the curator of your life. Because a harmonious life is not a perfect life but it is a peaceful one.

Sandra Hubbard