keeping balance

What balancing on one leg can tell you about yourself? A lot actually.

Our body is a summary and a living metaphor of our attitudes and behavioural strategies. That’s why observing how you balance your body may tell you something about how you deal with life in general.

You may try this exercise before reading any further.

1. Stand on one leg. Keep on standing for at least 15 seconds.

2. While balancing on one leg, close your eyes. How long could you stand before losing your balance?

3. If you still standing strong on one leg with eyes shut, think of a stressful situation. Time yourself.

How did you go?

You could not be bothered trying this exercise

Are you reluctant to try new things for the fear of failure? Do you live most of your life in your head, thinking of things rather than experiencing them?

Do you gather knowledge rather than experience? Knowing what chocolate cake is made of, does not substitute eating it.

You could not stand with open eyes for at least 15 seconds without losing your balance

Are you often thrown off your balance by unexpected events and situations?

Is it difficult for you to remain calm and positive because of the influence of others? If that is the case, you may carry lots of frustration, some resentment and maybe even a good dose of anger mixed with despair. It is hard to sale a ship to its destination while following other vessels’ navigation rather than your own.

You kept your balance with eyes open but could not stand with eyes shut for long without losing your balance

You may find yourself functioning well in day to day situations, but feel overwhelmed looking inside. Some people find it difficult to recognise their own emotions and keep on course with their values and life purpose.

You could not stand with eyes shut thinking of a stressful situation for long without losing your balance

This scenario hardly needs an explanation. It is hard for you to act your highest and best when you are faced with a stressful situation. We usually know what we need to do, but stress causes us to lose our capacity to respond to life in a calm and purposeful manner.

If balancing on one leg was easy for you

Congratulations! Your vestibular system is working well. In addition to keeping upright, you likely feel confident in your relationships. You know who you are and who your friends and foes are. You probably have a healthy sense of your station in society. Being attuned to your life purpose and your emotional radar allows you to be flexible and stable. If thinking of a stressful situation improved your balance, this may indicate that having this issue in your life gives you a point of reference, meaning and purpose. In other words, it stabilises you.

A test like this may very well be a part of your kinesiology session. The word kinesiology comes from the word “movement”, meaning that motor skills and muscle tonus function are used as a gateway into the subconscious. Kinesiology helps to reveal and understand the subconscious believes that drive people’s reactions, behaviours and feelings. Removing blocks in your subconscious can help you to improve not only your physical balance but the way you keep your emotional equilibrium.