Right in the Center

Every once in awhile I do this self-check:  am I centered?  Am I eating right?  Exercising?   Thoughts both positive and realistic?   Driven by the opportunities ahead?  Am I generally happy?  All of these are strong indicators to me that I am centered.

There is another center I consider.   For almost every issue, emotion and realm of possibility - there are two extremes. . .and a world of options in between those extremes.   For instance, is a person a controller or not a controller at all?  Does an issue require someone stepping in and taking charge or no intervention at all?  Is someone very conservative or very liberal?  When considering buying a house - should we spend our very last penny - or should we not buy at all and save every last penny?  Almost everything we face in life could be described in this type of sliding scale between two extremes.

What I find comforting in looking at life through this lens of  sliding scales is that it presents so many possibilities.   Often we come to believe the solution is either black or white, one extreme or the other. . .but the creativity in problem solving (and life living) is often in the greys.

Here too, I find myself often seeking the center of whatever scale I am considering.   Since we have many options, there are occasions I'm more inclined to one extreme or the other.   Let's take the issue of control.    If a project is floundering and there are a lack of resources - I may go more to the extreme of stepping in and taking total control.   If, on the other hand, things are running very smoothly, I will go more to the extreme of no intervention whatsoever.  More commonly, however, I find myself working in a range that is closer to the center

This ability, this creativity allows us to better prioritize and meet whatever needs we are facing.  If we always respond to issues in one extreme or another - it gives us very little flexibility to address issues quickly.

This brings me to the opening paragraph.   I find that if I work in the center of these sliding scales of opportunity - I am usually healthier, more productive, happier. . .in short, I am more centered.

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My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available on Amazon Kindle.