Fall into Balance
by Isa "GlitterGirl" Isaacs

As the change of season falls upon us, the Equinox reminds us to balance and take stock of our current life style choices.

In a fast paced world full of go-go-go mentalities and get-it-done-now thinking, we can often forget to take a few moments to take stock of our own internal balance . In an effort to help you find more balance in your life, here are 5 fun ways to help call more balance into your space.

Motor Skill Balance: Have you spent much of your life as a right or left handed person only to find that one of your hands is more dexterous? If so, you might want to bring the less dominant hand into your awareness more by doing simple things with that hand you might not normally do: brush your

teeth, open your mail, spread your butter, use a key in a lock and if you're feeling really adventurous, try writing with a pen with your less dominant hand.

Work and Play: We often forget to really give ourselves the self care we need because we are busy doing the things we "need" to do which somehow overshadow the ways in which we offer self care. One way to help add more balance to your work and play lives is to create some intentional time each

work day where you're focus is "play."

Play can be anything you want it to be: movies, books, baths, YouTube , Facebook , dress up, exercise, manicure, pedicure, shopping, meditation, cooking a good meal, hula hoop, sports,crafts, art, music -- anything that for you, has you feel like you are *not* working.

Set aside at least 30 minutes each work day that is *all* about you *not* working and has you feel completely at play so you can reconnect with that childlike wonder we all had so easily when we were five.

Gravity Balance: If you're looking for a way to improve your balance as you work with and against gravity, try this fun little exercise a few times a week:

Stand on one foot, raising the other a few inches off the ground. You can raise your foot higher as you gain better balance. Then, raise your hands above your head as if you're holding a beach ball over your head and look up at the imaginary beach ball and see how long you can remain standing on one foot before you lose your balance. Try this with each foot and notice your progress.

As it gets easier, you can try doing this with your eyes closed and your head "looking" up. Notice how much more difficult the exercise is with your eyes closed vs. open.

Solo vs. Community time: Not only are we busy working, we're often busy taking care of things with other people -- our partners, our children, our co-workers and our community.

One thing you can do for yourself to bring more balance between your external focus and internal focus is be sure

you're spending enough time nourishing your own personal needs as well as nourishing the needs of those with whom you share relating.

If you're primarily spending time alone, reach out to your friends, family andcommunity to connect and create more time with others. Similarly, if you're primarily spending time in community, set up some time for solo activities. We all have a little bit of the extrovert and introvert within us and it is important to nourish both aspects of our selves.

Right-brain/Left-brain balance: Have you ever tried to rub your head and pat your belly at the same time? Here's a fun little variation on that exercise:

Start with your right hand rubbing your head and your left hand patting your belly. Switch so the left hand is rubbing the belly and the right hand is patting the head. Switch again so the left hand is rubbing the head and the right hand is patting the belly. Switch a forth time to complete the cycle

so the left hand is patting the head and the right hand is rubbing the belly. This is a full cycle of the exercise. Run through the cycle a few times and as you do, see if you can switch what the hands are doing at faster intervals.

-Isa Issacs is a Coach, Performer, Artist, Flow Fairy xtraordinaire , and Founder of Temple of Poi