Finding Balance: Reflections from the Mat and Beyond
Sometimes, balance isn’t about perfection - it’s about presence.
From as far back as I can remember, my balance has always been at its best when I am in movement, and yet I struggle to find balance in stillness. This is very apparent in the regular yoga class I attend. I am often the first person to wobble, or even worse – fall flat on my face – especially in static balances held for a long time. As I wobble, I can experience a mix of frustration and heightened self-awareness. It’s funny how simple postures can bring up thoughts of not being good enough or wondering if others noticed my wobbles.
But that’s the thing about balance: it’s not a destination or something we achieve once and for all. It’s an ongoing process of adjustment, a daily practice in meeting ourselves where we are, imperfections and all.
Balance in Postures
Standing balance postures like Tree Pose (Vrksasana) feel especially vulnerable to me. When I step onto one leg, there’s no hiding my uncertainty or how much I’m working to stay steady. Some days, I feel grounded and focused; other days, I’m shaky, distracted, or just plain tired.
What I’m learning, slowly, is that balance isn’t about performing perfectly or proving that I have everything under control. It’s about being okay with the wobble, letting go of the pressure to look “right,” and staying curious about what’s happening beneath the surface.
Even when someone in class looks like they’ve nailed the pose, I remind myself that we can’t see what’s happening internally. They might be working just as hard as I am, adjusting their focus or battling their own insecurities. Balance is deeply personal, and comparison only pulls me further from my own practice.
Balance in Life
Off the mat, balance feels just as elusive. Life constantly asks us to juggle work, relationships, self-care, and the unexpected. For me, this is where perfectionism sneaks in, whispering that I should be able to manage it all flawlessly. And when I can’t? That’s when the self-doubt creeps in.
What yoga has taught me, though, is that balance isn’t about “getting it right.” The Yoga Sutra 2.46 speaks to sthira sukham asanam—the idea that steadiness (sthira) and ease (sukha) exist together. Balance doesn’t mean holding everything together perfectly; it’s about allowing effort and surrender to coexist.
This is still a daily work in progress for me. Some days, I find moments of steadiness, and other days, it feels like life is just one long wobble. But I remind myself that it’s the practice of showing up and trying again that matters most. I don’t have to arrive at some ideal version of balance to be doing the work.
A Philosophical Lens
The Upanishads offer wisdom that resonates deeply with me: “Train your senses and still your mind.” For someone like me, who often battles the noise of perfectionism and the fear of being judged, this idea feels like a lifeline.
Stillness doesn’t come easily for me - my mind often races with thoughts of how I “should” be doing better or whether I’ve met someone else’s expectations. But when I take time to pause, breathe, and quiet that inner critic, I can find a sense of steadiness that doesn’t depend on external validation. Balance, I’m discovering, is less about proving myself to others and more about finding peace within myself.
Lessons from Falling
Falling out of balance, whether on one leg or in life, feels vulnerable. It’s easy to be hard on myself, to think that falling means failing. But over time, I’ve come to see those wobbles and stumbles as essential to the process. They remind me to be gentle with myself and to find humour in the moments that don’t go as planned.
When I wobbled in my personal practice this week, I laughed - not because I wasn’t frustrated, but because I needed to let go of the weight I was carrying. Falling reminded me that balance isn’t about proving my strength or perfection. It’s about being willing to try, to reset, and to keep going with curiosity and self-compassion.
Your Turn
I wonder, where do you find balance most challenging - in your yoga practice or in your daily life? Do you struggle with similar feelings of perfectionism or fear of judgment?
Let’s talk about it. After all, we’re all just figuring it out as we go, learning to wobble and steady ourselves one step at a time. We’ve all been trying and failing at that since birth, but it’s the myriads of failures that teach us the lessons we need if we hope to take those single steps forward. It’s also much harder if we try to do this on our own without being honest about our vulnerabilities or without seeking help and support from others.
