A Libra's Guide to Balance

No one asked for this.

I finally started my uni adventure and it has been a bloody rollercoaster of emotions.

I started a bachelor of arts, and am majoring in creative writing. I decided to start on a part-time level while I continue to work and support myself. I also got a promotion at work... so that was a Sophie's Choice and a half... and decided I should probably ease into uni life again and get the hang of things instead of burning out within 2.5 seconds. I split my time between studying, lectures, workshops, full-time work, gym.... and my poor boyfriend who has had to witness this train wreck in real time. I have only been doing this for one semester and the balance is GONE.

As an astrology girly, I keep my tarot cards on hand and I know my birth chart back to front. In short - my sun is in Libra, and if my life does not feel balanced 100% of the time - I will self-destruct. I pride myself in having the perfect balance between fun and growth. The kicker of this is that my moon is in Taurus and my ascendant is Gemini...so I am also a chaotic extrovert, who can't express their needs. The whole package, if you will.

The thing about this situation is that usually, if I feel imbalanced it is because there is something in my life that is not supposed to be there. Something that is preventing me from being my best self. This thing is usually obvious to me. It's a toxic friend, a lack of sleep, spending too much time indoors, my job is unfulfilling, or I am isolated in some way. However in this instance, everything in my life is perfectly aligned. I have amazing friends, I love my uni classes, and I love my job. I am sleeping 8 hours a night and I go to the gym regularly. The imbalance is hiding, but I still feel it.

When I feel this way I tend to overcorrect. I drink too much, I stay out too late, or for the most part I drop everything and run. Run from whatever it is that's making me feel imbalanced, because in my brain, if I don't think about it, it's not there. What do they call it? object permanence? well whatever it's called, I am object permanently unhinged...

Over the years I have found some healthier ways to cope though. For my fellow libra girlies, or just people who also struggle with balance, I strongly encourage switching off for an extended period of time - no I don't mean literally un-aliving - I mean switching off technology... going off grid as our Himbo entrepeneur's would say. Scrolling for hours at a time and watching the world through a screen is toxic and I know you have heard that a billion times already. This is one of those cliche's that is cliche for a reason. Looking at what everybody else is doing with their lives for days on end only makes us question ourselves and compare our life to theirs. The comparison, the jealousy and the envy are all counterproductive. In reality, it's highly likely that you will never meet these people, and how you live your life, or the fact that you are watching theirs through a reel, will not make the slightest impact on anyone.

Switching off is grounding. Read a book, look at the sky, think about your thoughts for once rather than listening to someone else's, look a stranger in the eye and smile at them as you pass. Life is short people, if you spend your time with your nose in a screen, you will wake up years from now and realise you have wasted it. Ironic, because I am literally staring at a screen while I write this.

My second piece of advice would be to connect with nature. This is also a grounding technique. My astrology girlies will know exactly what I mean. for those who don't, it means go outside because it's good for your soul. You are a person in an ever evolving society, yes, but you are also a creature of this earth. You need food, water and fresh air to survive. Is it just me or is this starting to sound like 6th grade biology? My point is, being outside, amongst trees, or the ocean, or just laying on the grass, it's almost like hitting the factory reset button. Not only does using your long distance vision reset your eyes, the fresh air and the movement of your body will lower your blood pressure, decrease stress levels and open your mind up as if you have just decluttered your whole house. (Don't quote me on these, I'm not a scientist, I read it somewhere) (And by somewhere I mean TikTok).

My last piece of advice would be to make a short term plan, and let everything else go. I know that is way easier said than done. I have found that as a naturally anxious person, I am always focusing on the small details, and the actions and feelings of other people. The reality is that these things are out of my control and stressing about them is likely to only cause me harm. I have learned to make a plan for two weeks at a time. I find this to be more attainable than creating a 5 year plan (I am an indecisive libra after all), and everything outside of that plan, is "All good bro". At the end of the two weeks, I review, re-evaluate, and write a new one. Doesn't matter what my plan is. It could be, go to the gym 8 times. It could be to finish a report for work. It could be to complete an assignment. Hell, it could be all three. The gist is that it is short term, attainable, and it gives me room to breathe. If I have to think about how every action I take today is going to impact my life in 5 years time, my head will just about explode.

This started out confessional and ended up as another how-to guide that no one asked for.

Thank you for making it this far.

My last piece of advice - be kind to yourself. This is your first time on this earth, you do not have to have everything figured out.

It is my first time on earth too, and everyone else's.