The Power of Balance (From a Guy Who’s Still Wobbling) By Brent Dyer – Owner of Too Many Calendars and Not Enough Chill

Let’s talk about balance.

You know—that mythical unicorn people on Pinterest and Peloton commercials claim to have. Meanwhile, I’m over here Googling “how to stretch a day to 36 hours without black magic” while pouring my third cup of “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”

I used to think balance meant doing it all, just… evenly. Like a highly caffeinated Cirque du Soleil act. Turns out, it’s more like juggling chainsaws—blindfolded—while someone yells, “You should really meditate more!”

So in today’s Mind Over Chatter post (where I say the quiet part louder and with more sarcasm), I want to dig into the different types of balance we aspire to—even though most of us are just one email away from a full-blown existential spiral.

1. Work-Life Balance: The Holy Grail

Let’s start with the OG of burnout prevention: work-life balance. The idea is simple: have a job that doesn’t consume your soul like a Dementor.

In reality, it’s more like:

• “I’ll just check one more email before bed”

• 43 replies later you’re doomscrolling Slack at 1:13am

• Your spouse is sleeping like a saved soul while you’re stress-eating shredded cheese out of the bag

Listen, I counsel people on finding balance. Then I turn around and take Zoom calls from my car while eating protein bars labeled “for emergency use only.”

I’m not the poster child. I’m the cautionary tale.

But here’s what I’m learning: rest is productive. Busyness is not a spiritual gift. And maybe—just maybe—taking a walk at 3pm doesn’t mean I’ve given up on capitalism. It means I want to live long enough to see my daughter graduate.

2. Spiritual Balance: Jesus and Journals…and Netflix

Spiritual balance isn’t about being a monk. It’s about not completely losing your ever-loving mind while trying to follow Jesus in a world that thinks TikTok advice is the new Gospel.

I used to think if I didn’t do an hour-long quiet time at 5am with four commentaries and a Hebrew lexicon, I was basically one skipped devotional away from eternal damnation.

Now? I whisper prayers in the shower and thank God if I remember to open the Bible app before bed. It’s not polished. But it’s real.

And maybe that’s the point—spiritual balance isn’t about pretending to have it all together. It’s about staying tethered to the One who does.

3. Political Balance: Somewhere Between “Burn It Down” and “Pass the Kool-Aid”

Look, I don’t know who needs to hear this, but your political stance is not your personality. (Unless your personality is “angry Facebook uncle,” in which case…unsubscribing is free.)

Political balance means you can have strong opinions without deleting half your family from your Christmas card list. It means you can call out injustice without becoming a keyboard gladiator in the comment section of your local news station.

Here’s my rule: Think deeply. Speak kindly. Vote like people’s lives depend on it—because they do.

And for the love of all things holy, breathe before you post.

4. Financial Balance: Dave Ramsey and DoorDash

I love budgeting… in theory. In practice? My bank account looks like a crime scene after my third Starbucks run of the day.

Financial balance isn’t about never spending—it’s about knowing where your money’s going, so you can stop saying “Where the heck did my paycheck go?” every two weeks.

I’m learning to save, to invest, and to not justify every expense as “self-care.”

(Plot twist: therapy is self-care. That $327 Stanley Cup backpack combo? That’s capitalism bullying you in pastels.)

5. Fitness Balance: Avoiding Both Obsession and the ER

Look, I’m not trying to be a CrossFit bro. I’m just trying to make it up the stairs without feeling like I just ran from a bear.

Fitness balance means moving your body without hating it. Fueling your body without punishing it. And learning that “rest days” are not code for “failure”—they’re part of the rhythm.

Also: it’s okay if your gym membership is just a monthly donation to a building you never enter. Been there. Sponsored that.

In Closing: Still Wobbling. Still Showing Up.

Balance isn’t about being perfect. It’s about knowing when you’re tipping too far and having the guts (and grace) to adjust. Some days I nail it. Other days I’m eating frosting out of the can while watching a documentary on productivity.

But here’s the truth: every time I catch myself, every time I recalibrate, that’s a win.

So if you’re feeling like a mess in motion—welcome. Same.

Let’s keep learning the dance of balance, together.

Mindfully yours,

Brent

President of “Work In Progress Anonymous” – Meetings daily in the mirror.