Life can get pretty chaotic at times and we never know what is going to be around the corner. And sometimes I think that people who write about balance and having equal “pieces of pie” in our life are really only full of it or just selling books. I don’t think that our lives can have balance in that we are able to segment the different roles of our lives in equal proportions. I have tried and failed miserably! I think that we have times where we must work more, have days where family and our spouses come first or get more of our attention, and other days where we give more to God and other’s less. Life is a roller coaster.
However, I do believe that we can simplify and throw off the things that really aren’t important to focus on the ones that are important. I am passionate about being simple (though you might not be able to tell at times) and am making new steps to do so. BTW – Leo Babauta of Zen Habits has great advice on simplifying and goals.
Recently I had a new opportunity present itself that aligns with my personal and professional goals. I also have been in discussion with some great business people who share some of the same visions I have and we are trying to bring the pieces of the puzzle together to complete the big picture. It means that once again, I must simplify and let some things go in order to go on this journey. Those of you who know me and have read for a while could probably attest to the fact I am a person of change!
So what am I doing to simplify?
- I am letting go of the good ideas and going with the God ideas. There are a few dreams that I feel I must complete and I have to let the others die or I will never move forward.
- I am purging my computer and file cabinet of unnecessary items. Bookmarks, idea papers, print collateral, and possibly even some books from my library are going away. Anything that will distract me from the main things really don’t need to be around anymore.
- I am bringing my web presence to one place. This is a big one and I have wrestled with this more than any other decision. The reason is that the old school thought is that you should separate business from personal life; you can’t be professional and personal. I think this is changing however (as seen on many great, well read blogs) and my life is all mixed together. I am not corporate in any form so why not simplify this? By having my website under my name it allows me to keep up one shop and also eliminates a bunch of expenses to name a few.
- I am partnering with others. I have been a lone-ranger for a long time! I want to share ideas, work, dreams, and milestones with others. I have never been one to be greedy and I believe that there are some opportunities that, by teaming up with others, will be beneficial on a bigger scale for all involved.
What this means for this blog that has gone through many transitions since I started it is that I am going to have to pull the plug. Instead of writing and posting on Church Communications Pro, Branding Shed, this blog and other little pet projects it just makes sense to bring it to JamesDalman.com when it’s ready for launch. If you agree with the Long Tail Theory then having several blogs makes sense but I am thinking for long term sanity reasons.
I’ll let you know when the new site is ready for launch and if you want to follow me over there that’s great and if not, that’s great too. Either way I’ll sleep better at night. 
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Great thoughts, twin brother! (After reading this one, I absolutely have to agree with your comment on us being separated at birth – although I’m not sure when you were born and don’t really remember my birth at all…)
Seriously, though, the question about doing good ideas vs. doing God ideas is something I’ve been thinking quite a bit lately as well.
I love coming up with ideas. And I love trying to implement my ideas. But how do I know which of them are really the ideas God would want me to pursue?
Phil Vischer has some really good posts about this topic on his blog (http://www.philvischer.com/?p=101), but even after reading them I’m yet more confused with this question…
About balance.
I think many people (including myself) write a lot about balance because they want to achieve it. Or at least try to get closer to it. Not because they are already perfectly balanced (maybe the state of a perfect balance is a myth…). We find one new tip and implement it to get closer to a balanced life – and then want to share it…
And then some people make money through the sharing.
Jarkko,
It amazes me that some of the things you write are what’s rolling around in my mind. I guess I find comfort in that others think the same and I am not on my own planet.
I’ll check out that site for sure. As for me, the picture is becoming clearer and the more I move towards it, the more peace I feel within. I think the God ideas are the ones where we can’t do it by ourselves and we have to rely on Him for everything. No doubt it can be a scary place to be but God has never let me down – even through the storms of my life.
Balance in my mind was that you spend equal amounts of time in your vocation, family, etc., and everyone is happy. What I have discovered is it may be possible for someone but not me; and the amount spent in each “segment” of my life varies from season to season.
I agree and am all for finding ways to achieve these goals and implementing them. And if you can make a living by sharing your success or failures I am not against it (as it may have sounded) but I am just leery of some of the “magical pill” solutions some people are selling. Maybe it’s just because I am jealous and want it too! LOL.