Seven Degrees Left of Center

Searching for Balance

I am searching for balance in my day. Retirement gives me long hours that look peaceful at first, but they can fill up fast or slip away without warning. Some mornings I sit down to write and realize I have lost track of time. Other days I drift from room to room and wonder how I managed to do absolutely nothing.

Finding the right mix of writing, reading, and simply living has become its own little challenge. Too much writing and my brain starts to feel like wet cement. Too much downtime and I start looking for snacks instead of sentences. Somewhere in the middle is the sweet spot, and that is what I am trying to find.

I try to give my day small anchors. A little writing with my first cup of coffee. A bit of reading when the afternoon feels slow. A walk or something simple to remind myself that life exists outside my keyboard. Some days the plan works. Other days I shrug and try again tomorrow.

What I am learning is that balance does not arrive on its own. I have to search for it. I have to shape it. Retirement gives me freedom, but I need to give that freedom some structure. When I do, everything feels steadier. The stories come easier. The quiet hours make more sense.

I am still searching, but I like the idea that balance is something I can build one day at a time.