Balancing Act

Artwork BALANCING ACT by Heather Foust

Essay by Nelly Eisenhower

A few months ago, I made the decision to go back to work full time.  It seems that my family and I like to vacation AND have health insurance.  Doing both would require me to go back to work full time.  Shortly after that decision was made, the opportunity to work with my Mom to expand her creative business immersed.

At first the idea of 40 work week at a “real” job, working weekends and nights on creative projects, maintaining a household, bowling league, kid’s activities, and having time to charge my severely introverted personality seemed daunting.   Sometimes it seems like a balancing act trying to juggle the activities of my life. 

We have all seen the circus act where the performer tries to balance a stack of plates on long sticks.  He places one plate on a stick and then spins it as fast as he can so that whatever physics principle that is in play takes over and the plate will balance on the tip of the stick.  Then he moves to the next stick/plate combo and sets that plate a spinning.  Before moving on to the 3^rd plate, the performer circles back to the 1^st plate and spins the plate again to keep it on top of the stick.  He continues this back and forth until he successfully has all of his plates spinning.  Touching and retouching each plate every so often so that they don’t come crashing down onto the floor. 

Like the circus performer, we all have areas of our lives we are spinning. Family, friends, work, play, spirituality, financial, health etc.  So often, we let one area of our lives dominate our existence.  We think we can’t possibly tend to all the plates of our lives.  But much like the circus performer, to achieve the balance we desire, we must spin all the plates equally, or our lives will seem out of balance and like unattended spinning plates, come crashing to the ground.

To achieve more balance in my life, I am embracing a new word….busy.  Busy comes with such a negative connotation. I admit, I am guilty of uttering an exasperated “Busy” when someone asks me “How are you?”  But busy doesn’t need to be negative if the things that are occupying your time are filling your spirit.  Busy can mean full. 

What we must be clear about is what is insignificant, what are we allowing to consume our precious time.  What can be given up so that we can spin the plates of our desires and achieve the balance we are looking for. 

For me, what is no longer significant is T.V. and web searching.  Sure, I will make the time to watch The Walking Dead and I also have a few blogs that I will continue to frequent.  But the hours of mindlessly searching the web and channel surfing are eating up precious time that I do not want to waste.  If I must give these things up to feel more connected, I’m o.k. with that. 

What do you need in your life to achieve balance?  What is your opinion of busy?

Here’s to having all your plates spinning at one time. 

Helloooo, It is me Heather  I wanted to introduce you to my daughter Nelly Eisenhower. She and I will be collaborating on a New Website and Business.
Busy behind the scenes!
Remember in a good way...
It will still be lots of art but it will also be some spiritual/healing/inspirational/good feeling stuff.
It will include our whole big loud juicy family.
We are all artist's in our own way.
So stay tuned.......
Something Big and Beautiful is coming soon........

In the meantime don't forget that you can still sign up for my online class
A LIFE FULL OF COLOR
hosted by Kara Bullock..
click on this link and you can see more info
https://karabullockart.com/shop/classes/life-full-color/

YOU CAN LEARN HOW TO MAKE MY BALANCING ACT PAINTING.

Here is what is happening on my art table right now. 

See you all with all good news!!