Episode 7
Forget Balance!
Episode 7: Unmasking the Illusion of Balance
Welcome to The Mirror Project!
Welcome back to The Mirror Project! It's Christine and Alexandra, your guides through life's twists and turns. Today, we're peeling back the layers on the ever-elusive concept of work-life balance. Does it stress you out, too? Because honestly, we're feeling the overwhelm
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Before we kick off, hit that like, subscribe, or follow button on your favorite listening platform. Let’s journey together!
Why Not Balance?
Our journey into this topic began with a revelation from Zach Pogrob (@zachpogrob). He suggests we ditch the pursuit of balance and embrace contrast. Poetry and jiu-jitsu, mansions and marathons - living on the edge. Are we prisoners of the idea that we can have it all? The pressure is real, especially for women. So, do we want it all, or is there beauty in embracing extremes?
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Join our community on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Let's continue these discussions together!
Something Better than Balance?
Is the pendulum swinging from balance to extreme contrast? Can we find a middle ground that still delivers the same results? Others may lean towards the extremes, but Alexandra thinks there a sweet spot in oscillating between boundaries closer to the middle.
Incorporating Contrast
How does Alexandra plan to integrate her love for extremes without burning out? Saying yes to opportunities without drowning in overwhelm. And what about Christine? Well, she's got a plan, too.
Closing Thoughts
We've navigated the seesaw of balance and contrast. Now, it's your turn. Is balance attainable, or should we be seeking contrast? Head over to our socials @mirrorprojectpod and share your thoughts. Next week, we're digging into the surprising history of St. Patrick's Day. Trust us; it's more than just green beer. If you've enjoyed the ride today, consider supporting us on Buy us a Coffee. And, of course, hit that like, subscribe, or follow button on your favorite platform. Until next time, keep reflecting, and we'll catch you on the flip side!
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Transcript
Hello and welcome to The Mirror Project.
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:We are your hosts, Christine.
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:Alexandra: And Alexandra,
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:Christine: And we are so
glad you're joining us.
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:This week, we are lightening up the
conversation and want to welcome
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:back anyone who needed to sit
out the last two episodes where
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:we talked about our thoughts and
experiences on body image and health.
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:Today, we are discussing the elusive
balance between work and life.
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:Is it just me, or do you all find the idea
of finding balance extremely overwhelming?
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:Sometimes I find it stressful as
hell, especially when I feel like
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:everything is out of control.
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:And I often wonder if the idea of
balance does me more hard than good.
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:Is achieving balance even possible?
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:Let's discuss.
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:Alexandra: Before we dive in today's
topic, like, subscribe, or follow us
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:on your preferred listening platform.
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:Go ahead, pause, and do
it now before you forget.
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:Don't worry, we won't
get started without you.
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:Christine: Right.
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:So let's dive into our first topic where
we ask the question, why not balance?
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:The idea that started this conversation
came to us from a post by Zach Pogrob and
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:Alexandra actually shared this with me.
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:The post said, You don't need
balance, you need contrast.
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:Write poetry, train jiu jitsu,
join a cult, then create one.
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:Live in New York, then
the middle of nowhere.
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:Bentleys and dirt bikes,
mansions and marathons.
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:Spend time at the edges.
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:Flood your senses.
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:Treat every day like an experiment,
and never live the same day twice.
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:You need a healthy dose of art and war.
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:Create violently, live peacefully.
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:Because a life without
extremes is a life unlived.
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:Alexandra: That's got some heavy
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:Christine: Oh my gosh, it really just
makes you stop and think, doesn't it?
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:do you have any initial first
thoughts after hearing that?
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:Alexandra: it still hits me as hard.
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:I think is when I first shared it with
you, which I know is a way a while back.
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:Christine: Early on when we first
started talking about topics.
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:I think this was like last, a year ago.
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:We shared this with each other.
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:Alexandra: yeah.
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:So for anyone listening, I think if you
looked at our Instagram, you know, chat,
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:it would just be videos back and forth.
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:Oh, Hey, this would be a great topic.
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:Oh, look at this.
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:This is a really
interesting thing this week.
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:We should talk about this.
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:So this was definitely something
that hit a spot for me, right?
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:Because I feel so.
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:stuck on extremes sometimes.
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:Like, I'm a very creative person,
but I'm also very logical.
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:And it feels like the world
doesn't always accept that.
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:So it was interesting to hear somebody be
like, no, the extremes are what you want.
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:Being in one will help you
appreciate the other and vice versa.
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:And it helps you not live the
same day over and over again.
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:So I think, I think one of my
favorite parts was write poetry, train
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:jujitsu, join a cult, then create one.
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:I was like, hmm, I like that.
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:So if anyone here is the cult
of Alexandera coming around,
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:we know where the idea started.
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:Christine: Oh boy.
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:Alexandra: I, hold no responsibility
for what happens after that.
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:Because I was just
living, why not balance?
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:We need contrast.
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:Christine: There you go.
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:Exactly.
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:I think also something that came to
mind as I was thinking through the
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:outline of this episode yesterday was
that us as women, we're constantly
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:told that we can have it all.
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:And it, really drives me crazy
because I don't know if that's even
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:worth, I don't think it's worth it.
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:I don't think women want to have it all.
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:And I, I also think it's, can
be very condescending too.
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:It's, it's not something that I think men
are faced with, but in this age of women
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:empowerment and women being encouraged to
embrace every facet of life and not feel
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:discriminated against or marginalized or
anything like that, it's not, it's also
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:like doing more harm than good and I.
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:Thank you.
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:Bye.
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:Alexandra: hmm,
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:Christine: And as I mentioned when
I opened up the episode, I really do
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:wonder if balance is, if the idea of
balance is doing more harm than good,
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:because I don't know if it's attainable.
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:There's going to be times in our lives
where we will be able to achieve some
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:sort of balance between work and life,
but the beauty of life is that one minute
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:it can be calm, and the next it can be a
storm that is just decimating the careful
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:plan that you set out for yourself.
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:So, I like this idea because life
is imperfect, embracing that and
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:just going for different extremes.
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:Within reason.
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:I think, let's, let's preface that too.
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:Alexandra: Yeah, I
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:also think because you were saying
about balance can be more harmful and
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:if we think about it, I think balance
seems ideal in the abstract, right?
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:Because when your life is so out
of balance, there's so much that's
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:pulling you in different directions.
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:Whether it be women being told they
can have it all, which I agree with
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:you is kind of insulting, right?
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:So I'm going to put a pin in
that, we'll come back to it.
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:If you think about sustaining balance for
a long time, if that hasn't been your M.
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:O.
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:for holding that balance will probably be
very uncomfortable and get kind of boring.
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:Because, I mean, if you think of
balance as stillness, which we all need
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:moments of stillness, that's why I love
practices of like meditation or yoga.
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:Because it's kind of also a
form of mental acrobatics.
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:Being comfortable with being
calm and still but an entire life
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:that is everything very balanced.
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:Everything's the same day to day.
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:I Agree with you.
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:I don't know that that's what we should
necessarily be striving for but I can
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:understand people's like Oh, we need
balance because life is so out of balance
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:so finding the boundaries of your
extremes and using that as your range
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:of extremes that you want to embrace
and use to its fullest ability within
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:your life to create this fuller, more
experienced, then yeah, I think that's
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:a very interesting concept brought up.
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:I agree with you.
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:I think balance is, it's almost
like a fallacy in many ways.
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:Christine: especially the idea of balance
that we're constantly pushed today on
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:social media, in our society, because
here in America, everything about how
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:we function, at least, you know, where
in the area I grew up, which is Like
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:near the, in the tri state area near New
York City, it's just go, go, go, go, go.
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:So it's really just a contradiction
that you're being pushed this idea
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:of finding balance, but it's just
something that you're constantly
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:chasing in this fast paced society.
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:Alexandra: Um,
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:Christine: So that's why I asked,
like, is it even attainable?
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:At least, at least the idea of
balance that we are constantly pushed.
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:Alexandra: well, no, that's a
great point because in planning for
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:this episode, you'd also brought
up the idea of that being a human
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:is overwhelming in of itself.
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:And so, and particularly today, as
compared to even 60, 70 years ago,
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:there's so much information, knowledge.
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:ability to do stuff
right at our fingertips.
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:I mean, we carry a tiny computer in our
hands, most of us with a smartphone.
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:And so everything is competing for
our time, our attention, our money,
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:whether it's social media, whether
it's this podcast, whether it's,
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:I want to go out and eat healthy,
or I need to go out and run, but I
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:also have ten other things to do.
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:So I do think that we are pushed
this unrealistic expectation of what
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:finding balance is on top of, hey,
here's everything that needs your time.
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:So it is quite interesting the
information and messages that
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:we are consuming and being fed.
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:Christine: right.
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:And it's disillusioning because
we have all these choices and
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:we're told that we could have.
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:We could do all of them
if we find balance.
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:When I think in reality, it's, you have
to eliminate, you have to figure out what
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:to eliminate, and then take what you have
left and find the balance within that.
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:Alexandra: Mm
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:I would say as somebody
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:who
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:If you've ever heard the phrase a jack
of all trades is a master of none and
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:the fuller phrase of that is a jack
of all trades is a master of none but
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:it's still better than a master of one.
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:So for I have considered myself a
jack of all trades, I have interest
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:in many different areas, right?
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:Like from metaphysics and many
different areas of metaphysics to
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:Logical analytical business stuff.
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:And so that extreme has made me
feel very much and interest a
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:little bit in like quantum physics.
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:Not that I want to study it, but
I'm like, Oh, tell me about it.
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:And so having all those things out
there that you want to, it does
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:feel like if I could only just
narrow in on one or two things, then
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:then maybe life would make sense.
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:Then maybe I would feel like I fit in
so I can see where I have fallen into
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:that illusion and trap of That balance
we talked about that is unrealistic.
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:It's just, goodness gracious, I can't do
it all, but I want to do it all, and so
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:I think writing that is also Sometimes
contributing to the, the overwhelm of,
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:oh, but I also need to find balance.
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:I need to, my life
needs to look like this.
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:It has to look like the aesthetic
thing we see on social media.
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:And cause sometimes I wonder, like, how
do people have all the time in the day?
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:And if you're cool with it,
I'd love to come back to that.
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:We had talked about women
being told we can have it
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:all.
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:And it's nothing I have
ever heard said to a man.
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:Not to, that's a broad
sweeping generalization.
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:So if somebody has heard that.
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:Interesting, I'd love to hear about it.
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:But, you know, we can go and have a
career in the life, and then we can also
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:come home and raise children, and be
the perfect mother, and be the person
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:that makes everything from scratch.
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:Who sleeps during that?
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:That's my genuine question.
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:When do you, when do you actually rest?
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:And, you know, I've never heard that.
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:The permanent sleep.
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:Christine: It's pretty permanent.
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:Alexandra: don't know that I've
ever Heard it said to a man
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:or seen that on social media.
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:And it's so interesting, right?
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:Because why does it fall primarily
on the females if they want to have
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:a career to also be the perfect
parental caregiver, you know?
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:It's not really a conversation that
I've heard about in a very specific
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:part of the internet, you know,
about alpha males and masculinity
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:and all that many made up nonsense.
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:It's all about work and what they
can provide, but I've never heard
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:be an amazing, like, husband or
parent to your kids, being there.
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:So why does that fall?
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:It's, we're being told we can have it
all, but that's not in balance either.
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:Christine: Yeah, it, it's really, it
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:honestly
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:Alexandra: And it's almost more
insulting when other women tell me, Oh,
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:Christine: no, you're right, it
isn't, it is insulting when that's
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:the dialogue that we have amongst
each other and I was just going to say
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:that it honestly just makes me really
tired to think about but yeah, I,
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:Alexandra: Sorry, folks, we're going to
have to take a five minute break just to
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:go have a nap to recoup from how tired
we are talking about this conversation.
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:Christine: and I'd be interested to
hear how other women might relate
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:to this, but for me it's like, I
sometimes can't allow myself to feel
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:tired because then I'm not going to
be able to get anything else done.
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:Like if I just keep going, then I will
get to the other side of this problem or
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:Alexandra: And that brings
up an interesting point.
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:I'd love to also hear
from our male listeners.
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:What is this like if you are working
full time and a primary caregiver to
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:a child or very actively involved?
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:What does that look like for you?
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:Christine: Yeah.
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:Alexandra: ever hear, Oh.
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:That's just normal.
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:Or so I'm curious to know
the other side of that as
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:Christine: Yeah, I would want to know,
like, are you, do you feel supported?
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:Do you feel
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:are you made to feel, questioned
for the, the reasons why you
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:are trying to also do it all?
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:And, I'd really be interested to
know how you're feeling in, in that
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:situation that you find yourself in and
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:Alexandra: What brings that up is
because I remember from in grade school,
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:I think there was one student whose
dad was a full time stay at home dad.
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:And it was very, it was different, right?
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:If you heard of a parent staying
home, it typically wasn't.
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:The man so I had remember some people
had made fun of that and I'm like, oh,
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:that's really interesting, you know, so
It's questioning life choices and how
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:somebody else drives for Their form of
balance that falls outside of the norm.
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:So, this is so interesting.
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:I feel like we've gone quite off of,
like, contrast to, Hey, here's this
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:really interesting conversation as well.
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:But it fits perfectly and dovetails
nicely into this conversation because
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:It really is sometimes a struggle when
you wake up to go, I have this long to
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:do list of things that must get done.
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:And then there's the to do lists
of things I want to do to take care
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:of myself, to better my life, et
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:cetera.
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:I don't know about you, Christine,
but sometimes I feel like they're
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:constantly at odds with each other.
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:And it's hard to embrace those
contrasts and ride the creative flows
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:that might come off of them too.
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:to the next one.
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:Christine: Yeah.
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:No, I, I definitely agree.
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:And When I look at this
quote That we shared.
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:I, a part that I really gravitate
towards and really connect with is
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:You need a healthy dose of art in war.
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:Create violently and live peacefully.
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:And I think that's so beautifully
put, cause if you're gonna have, if
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:you're gonna live a life of extremes
That's really the way to do it.
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:Is just creating violently
and living peacefully.
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:That in itself is balance.
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:Alexandra: Hmm.
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:Yes.
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:and I love how it's balance of
not necessarily finding the thing
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:that keeps you stable either.
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:It's using the contrasts within each
other to find, find that balance.
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:It makes me very much think of
the, the yin and yang symbol.
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:So I love that.
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:And this feels like a perfect
segue into our next topic, where
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:we're going to talk about, is there
something better than balance?
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:So we, we have definitely talked about
the contrast and the extremes of the
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:quote that you had shared with us earlier.
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:So are extremes the new goal, or is
there a more measured approach that
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:still achieves the same outcome?
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:What are your thoughts, Christine?
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:Christine: I think, and this just
came to me as we were wrapping up the
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:last topic and adding into this one.
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:I think we need to shift our idea
of what balance means, and it's not
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:balance over an extended period of time.
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:It's finding balance
within the day you're in.
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:So it's like.
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:Each day is going to be, each day is
going to be different and accepting
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:that and knowing that there's things
outside of your control, but that
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:you can make choices to find balance
within your day and it might look
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:different from one day to the next.
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:And this might not work for
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:everybody.
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:Alexandra: And that's true.
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:Because that allows for the
flexibility of things to arise and
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:meeting your needs in different ways.
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:So I, I like that view of that and because
if you do take that a larger, broader
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:view out, you could look at a period of
a month or a year and say, wow, there
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:were lots of ups, but there was just
enough recovery time and you could see
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:how the balance sheet of your year has
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:Christine: yeah,
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:Alexandra: evened out.
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:I like
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:that.
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:Christine: Because I think it's
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:Alexandra: Without it being so rigid
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:Christine: Right.
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:And I think it's also for a
lot of people overwhelming to
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:look at the bigger picture.
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:and one of the things I say to Alexandra
all the time is something that my parents,
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:my dad would say to me when we were a kid.
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:When we got overwhelmed with
everything that we'd have to
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:do for school or everything.
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:It's how do you eat an
elephant one bite at a time?
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:And no, I don't mean like you're actually
eating an elephant, but consider like
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:whatever you're facing to be the elephant
and elephants are massive and they
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:take up a lot of space and they're very
intimidating to look at, but taking it one
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:bite at a time, one step at a time, you'll
look back on it and you'll focus in the
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:moment on that one bite you're taking, but
you'll look back on it and you'll see the
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:elephant that you made your way through
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:Alexandra: And yes, if anyone
is wondering, did Christine
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:have to tell me that this week?
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:She did!
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:Very much so.
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:I think I was spinning up about,
you know, my term and coursework and
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:everything, and I'm just like, oh
my gosh, I can't, I'm so stressed!
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:And she's like, okay, how
do we eat an elephant?
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:Just one bite at a time?
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:And like, in the moment, I was like, that
is really irritating, it's not helpful.
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:And like, oh.
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:I mean, yeah, okay.
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:Just
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:Christine: Mm-Hmm.
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:Alexandra: on the next step.
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:Focus on the next bite.
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:And you know, we can do it.
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:And it does help because as you said,
sometimes it, we do need that bird's
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:eye view to kind of understand,
but it can be quite overwhelming
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:because you're like, this is where
I need to go, but I am not there.
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:And how do I get there?
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:And you can kind of I say you,
but maybe I should say me.
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:I can spin up about the
process to get there.
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:And that, as annoying as it was
when you said it, because it was
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:one of those things like, I know,
but it's not helpful in this moment.
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:Well, it's, and then it was
like, I was spinning up about it.
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:I was like, okay, nope.
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:That's right.
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:Come back.
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:Focus on this one thing, and then it
kind of like took some of that stress
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:and anxiety and the overwhelm of trying
to achieve larger goals down to this
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:moment, and I can do that for a little
bit until I get to a point where I'm not
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:so overwhelmed and I can come out for a
bird's eye view and then come back in.
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:So yeah, it is, it is very difficult.
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:Christine: And I think it's a lot of
people find themselves constantly stuck
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:in that bird's eye view or they're looking
at their to-do list that's 20 pages long.
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:And they're going down it
over and over and over again.
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:And one of the things, one of the valuable
lessons I've learned, especially in the
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:last few years is prioritizing and knowing
that, you know, you're not going to be
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:able to go one by one down the list.
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:So picking out,
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:Alexandra: group and priorities.
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:Christine: out what needs
your attention first.
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:What you, and this goes hand in hand
with like your two to do list that
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:I kind of consider that you have.
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:It's the to do list you have to do,
and the to do list you want to do.
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:And finding the balance of both.
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:And it,
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:Alexandra: Mhm.
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:Christine: so I, it's going to be
interesting to kind of see where
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:we come at the end of this episode
on this topic of balance, because
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:we're talking about contrast, but
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:I think that just kind of makes it fun.
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:so we'll see, we'll see
where we go from here.
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:Alexandra: So staying on
the idea of contrast, right?
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:And contrast to an extreme.
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:And I think because we
do both live in the U.
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:S., we definitely live in a
culture where people embrace
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:the extremes of the extremes.
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:That is my feeling of what
I've seen from political to
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:cultural, social, all the things.
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:So, you know, and it's when one, when
the pendulum is over on A extreme, it
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:doesn't kind of swing towards the middle.
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:It shifts all the way over
to B extreme, like past that.
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:And so my question is, is there a place
where you can still achieve contrast,
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:but have It kind of oscillate closer to
the middle, central of the two extremes.
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:You get some of that flavor and
flair without it being too excess.
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:Your thoughts?
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:Is that possible?
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:Or is that just my preference?
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:I
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:Christine: I think what you're
talking about is definitely finding
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:the sweet spot between the two.
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:I think for As a Sagittarius tend
to want to embrace my wanderlust, go
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:without a plan, just see where the
wind will take me, things that come up.
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:I instinctually want to just be
like, okay, let's, let's go for it.
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:But then everything else in my DNA,
how I was raised, the schools I
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:went to, my anxiety, all of that.
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:tend to make me want
to have a set plan, so
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:Alexandra: Yeah.
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:Christine: and want to find that sort of,
that pendulum swing that doesn't swing
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:too far to the right or to the left.
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:Alexandra: That makes me think of
one of the trips that we've taken
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:together in the past few years.
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:We had gone down to New Orleans
and as Christine said you know, she
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:likes the wanderlust, but also the
anxiety of a plan can sometimes get,
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:be helpful and then get in a way.
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:And I'm definitely somebody who, when
I travel, I want to see it all and I
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:want plans and I need to know not that
I don't like to get lost sometimes.
400
:But particularly in a new place, I'm
like, I need to see it all right away.
401
:So I think we had a really great
strategy when we went down and
402
:it kind of encompassed this,
the flow between the two, right?
403
:We had a few set things were like, we
have this tour, this day, this tour the
404
:day before, and we're going to see this.
405
:And then we kind of, I think we
had a plan to go to one restaurant.
406
:And from that we kind of got
there where it looked up local
407
:foods and allowed ourselves.
408
:Time to do the exploring, but we
had a couple set things to anchor
409
:our plans in and I don't know
about you, Christine, but I really
410
:enjoyed that trip for that reason.
411
:I was, there was enough freedom that you
weren't so confined by a schedule, but
412
:then there was enough of a schedule that
I wasn't feel like, Oh my gosh, there's
413
:too much to do and I'll never see it or
we'll never get, you know, do something.
414
:So,
415
:Christine: and it was great because
the things that came out of those
416
:scheduled things, the guides that led
the tours, they gave us recommendations.
417
:Like, I think we did a walking tour,
a history walking tour during the day.
418
:And our, our guide gave us a
recommendation for a restaurant
419
:that we ended up checking
out that night for dinner.
420
:And it was, If we had scheduled
every meal for that trip, we
421
:wouldn't have been able to do that.
422
:So it was a perfect balance of the two.
423
:So I'm starting to find that
balance is what we want to achieve.
424
:But maybe the idea of balance today is
what makes me want to pull my hair out.
425
:So, Alexandra, how do you plan to
incorporate contrast into your life
426
:Alexandra: Ooh.
427
:Okay.
428
:As we've established, I am somebody
who enjoys her schedules like things
429
:planned, but I do want to take the
time to say yes to new opportunities,
430
:embrace things that come up.
431
:And this is where I can also
fall into a contrast extreme
432
:rate of I can over extend myself.
433
:So yes, finding the sweet spot of
the contrast of the sit down and
434
:study and the go out and have fun.
435
:And so that is what my goal, I'm
going to shoot for like the next
436
:three months to seriously work on
437
:that.
438
:Another thing on the to do list, but
I'm, I definitely want to do that
439
:because I want to be careful of, I
have the tendency to overextend, over
440
:invest myself due to who I am and my
personality, but that can cause me to
441
:burn out and get so overwhelmed and
almost revert back to wanting to just stay
442
:inside and hermit So it's going to be an
interesting journey, because I do want to
443
:experience more of the contrasts of life,
444
:without going beyond.
445
:So that's my goal, I
446
:think.
447
:Yeah.
448
:Christine: I think that's
really, that's really great.
449
:And also I think when you are starting
to embrace contrast more, and if you start
450
:to feel overwhelmed, I think knowing that
you can still say no, like even if you
451
:decided to do this, really consciously
Thinking about, is this good for me now?
452
:I thought it was
453
:two, two, three, four days ago, but
maybe now in this moment it's not.
454
:And then also, not taking on guilt,
because I think at least I struggle with
455
:this so much, is that feeling of guilt,
especially if I make the plans with
456
:friends or family, or if I make a promise
to myself and then I let myself down, that
457
:idea of like, you're not letting yourself
down, you're actually helping yourself
458
:and setting that idea of embracing
contrast with healthy boundaries.
459
:So.
460
:You may have every intention to
embrace the contrast of life,
461
:but you know, recognizing when
it might be doing you more harm
462
:than good is an invaluable skill.
463
:Alexandra: So what I'm hearing you
say is the part that I liked about
464
:the quote of join a cult and then
start one May not have the healthy
465
:boundaries Okay, I guess I've learned
my lesson world domination through a
466
:cult is is not going to happen today
467
:Christine: Well, it's just, we haven't
found a healthy, we just haven't
468
:found a healthy way to Strive for
world domination, but who knows maybe
469
:through this journey, we will find it
470
:Alexandra: So on that I guess then how
Christine are you going to incorporate
471
:contrast into your life's going forward
472
:Christine: Yeah, I think something
I tend to do when I look at my to do
473
:lists is when I get overwhelmed by
it I'll just start a new to do list.
474
:Like I'll just throw out the
old one and start the new one.
475
:And it's like that act of starting
from scratch and starting fresh.
476
:That really doesn't answer anything
of the question you've asked me,
477
:but it just popped into my head.
478
:So I wanted to share it.
479
:But.
480
:Alexandra: I like this.
481
:I'm taking an action to
repeat the same step I
482
:Christine: Yeah, because in my
head it's, I'm doing something new.
483
:I'm not, I'm writing the
same stuff that I have to do.
484
:But anyway how am I going
to embrace contrast?
485
:I think I inadvertently have
started to do that this year.
486
:Just when I was sort of starting to set
goals for myself, I was finally, I've
487
:reached a point where I don't want to keep
putting off things I really want to do.
488
:I'm kind of envisioning that as what's
in contrast to say what old Christine
489
:was, or like last year Christine was,
Always sort of holding myself back from
490
:really doing the things I want to do.
491
:So honestly, this is allowing
me to sort of embrace.
492
:Contrast, and, not giving
myself permission, but,
493
:Alexandra: well, you say, Not giving
yourself permission, but I think
494
:that's an important part of it, right?
495
:Because if you haven't allowed yourself
to really embrace contrast, that
496
:might be an important first step.
497
:Christine: That's a good
point, yeah, you're right.
498
:So, I guess, my, here and how I'm going
to incorporate it is I've made the
499
:decision that I'm going to go after the
things I've always been wanting to do.
500
:Some of the things I've, I've shared on
here and on our social media, but a couple
501
:of other things are like, I've always
wanted to get a tattoo multiple tattoos.
502
:And I've thought extensively about
that and how Which ones I want to do
503
:and all of that and I want to start
taking action to finally do that for
504
:myself Realistically, that's in like I'm
thinking like my first time doing that.
505
:Hopefully I was sort of thinking like
April so just sort of Finally, allowing
506
:myself to do the things I've always
wanted to do, while also understanding,
507
:like, there's a long list of things
I have to do, and sort of see, see
508
:how this feels for a little bit.
509
:And just sort of, redefining what
balance means to me, and how that, how
510
:incorporating contrast will actually
potentially help me find balance.
511
:Alexandra: I like it.
512
:And also what I've heard out of that
is we, as the Mirror Project podcast
513
:community, should be expecting to see a
picture of Christine's tattoo in the next
514
:couple of months on our social media.
515
:Would that be an accurate,
516
:Christine: I guess,
517
:so, maybe.
518
:Yeah.
519
:We, we
520
:shall
521
:Alexandra: be your
accountability partners for
522
:Christine: Okay.
523
:Thanks, guys.
524
:I appreciate that.
525
:Alexandra: so that's, I really
like that, and it does make sense.
526
:It is, and I, I think what we've,
to distill some of this section of
527
:incorporating contrast is, it probably
won't look the same for everyone.
528
:And it's finding the areas
in which you feel comfortable
529
:incorporating that contrast.
530
:And perhaps this is something
of progressive journey, right?
531
:You can start small if that feels wildly
unknown to you, and then build a little
532
:bit more, or if you're totally cool with
jumping off the cliff into the unknown,
533
:finding a way to fully embrace it.
534
:So that brings us to the
conclusion of this episode.
535
:And as you have seen, we have
traveled the seesaw of this topic,
536
:and I think we found our footing,
537
:Christine: Yeah.
538
:I think so.
539
:It took Took a minute, but we'll see.
540
:I think we might
541
:need to, yeah, we might need to check
back in and revisit this maybe on a future
542
:episode and just sort of check in with
each other and hold ourselves accountable
543
:to see how, we were doing, but yeah,
I think, I think we found our footing.
544
:Alexandra: So on that, we would love
for you listening to share your thoughts
545
:on whether balance is achievable
or if contrast is the better goal.
546
:And which are you leaning towards?
547
:We hope you enjoyed today's conversation
and that you'll be joining us next week
548
:where we will dive into the history of St.
549
:Patrick's Day.
550
:We are digging in to find out the
real story behind the holiday so many
551
:people celebrate, and party to, today.
552
:See you then!
553
:Christine: Enjoying the
conversations we're having and
554
:the topics we're discussing?
555
:Consider supporting us through
our Buy Us a Coffee page.
556
:We greatly appreciate any help in
creating this podcast we love so much.
557
:Link in our show notes and link tree.
558
:Before we end, don't forget to
like, subscribe, or follow us on
559
:your preferred listening platform.
560
:And we'll catch you next time.