Life as a young adult on a college campus is wild, free, chaotic, stressful, full of life, fun, and too many things to do with too little time. If you choose to mention any lack of harmony within your schoolwork, job, and various activities to any adult, I can guarantee with almost 100% certainty that someone will respond with the relatable – yet unhelpful in all regards – response of “it’s a balance”. Is this true? ABSOLUTELY. Am I clearly still learning to balance priorities, as seen in my inconsistent blog posting? RIGHT AGAIN. Is balance actually attainable as a busy human being? YES, provided you get to the root of its purpose and effect on your future.
As my parish priest brought to my attention in his homily last week, “The way you live now will drastically change three things. Who you marry. How you love them. Whom you serve”. – Fr. Kerry
Isn’t this so unarguably true? If we do not live intentionally now, how can we expect to love and live well in the future? At times in our lives, especially in the ever-changing nature of college, we tend to put off living well and balanced for our later selves. We think that on some random day when we are “officially” adults, we will rise to the occasion with spreadsheets, Google calendars, and wisdom, perfectly prepared to live a balanced life. No? Just me? Even if a perfectly planned life isn’t your idea of balance, I have a feeling you might relate to the idea of putting off living well until you feel a bit more prepared.
In my own life – this past year to be exact – the Lord has placed me in a position of absolute lack of control, strapped me in for the ride, and let the rollercoaster of chaos begin. While I do not appreciate this gift most days, learning to create balance within chaos has been eye opening and freeing. Living a balanced life of faith, fun, and obligation doesn’t magically happen on a random Tuesday afternoon. Living well and prioritizing what truly matters to you takes intentionality, discipline, and follow-through.
If I want to make daily mass a priority, I adjust my schedule as much as possible. If I want to commit myself to a daily rosary and feel I don’t have time, I pray on the walk to class I am already taking. If I want to know the people in my classes, I show up 10 minutes early and take on my fear of small talk. I haven’t done all this perfectly, but even in my two weeks of experience striving for balance, I have found it to be a learned quality, not one that magically exists in my life. As Fr. Kerry said, “The way you live now will drastically change things”, and even in just two weeks of intentionally prioritizing what is important to me, my life has drastically changed for the better.
I cannot create balance in your life, this takes trial by fire, but if you want to begin practicing balance, a good starting point might be taking a few moments to recognize whom you choose to serve throughout your day. When I let school lord over my life, I have no time for enjoyment with friends. When I overfill my calendar with resume boosters, I run out of time to breathe. When I become overwhelmed by the need to make money, I penny-pinch to extremes and have no freedom. Yet, when I make intentional time for prayer to know our Lord and serve him through all the avenues that have the power to control my life (school, activities, work), I find my love of life renewed and balance restored.
Not every day needs to go exactly to plan to be balanced. By allowing the Lord to be the God we serve in each moment of our chaotic days, balance can be integrated into each moment. Ask Jesus to help you make sense of meaningless class assignments, invite Him to rejoice in the joy of your friendships, say hello to Christ on your walks or drives, figure out what gives you joy and do it! The Lord wants to see us joyful, living well, and above all, He desires to walk with us in each moment of our days.
To achieve balance, we must have a constant grounding force, and what better thing to cling to than Jesus? Make Jesus your center, and your life – even in its greatest chaos – will have meaning, affect your life for the better, and bring balance to the craziest of your days.
All my love and prayers,
Monica +JMJ+
I love this one! I too often find it hard to balance things. Your words reminded me of a Fr. Jacques Phillipe quote I read recently: “If we make God our first concern, God will look after our affairs much better than we ever can.” What a beautiful reflection, thanks Mon!