Finding Balance in Life: What 13 Dance Events Taught Me About Alignment

Balance is not something we find once and keep forever. It is an ongoing practice of listening, adjusting, and honoring what feels aligned in each season of life. Through dance, motherhood, business, breathwork, and movement, I learned that what serves us one year may not serve us the next. The key is learning to listen to your body, release comparison, and trust your own path.

Have I Found the Right Balance?

Balance.

This is something that is constantly on my mind.

I find myself asking:

Have I found the right balance?

How does this feel to me?

Am I spending my time on the things that matter most?

Because while dance is one of my greatest passions, it is only one piece of the life I love.

I love being a mother.

I love being a wife.

I love creating a home.

I love learning.

I love my spiritual practices.

I love building businesses.

I love traveling.

I love taking care of my body.

And perhaps the biggest balancing act of all has been learning how to pursue my passions while still honoring the role that matters most to me, being a mother.

I don't think balance is something we find once and keep forever.

I think balance is something we continually revisit.

As our lives change.

As our children grow.

As our desires evolve.

As new opportunities arise.

What felt aligned five years ago may not feel aligned today.

And what felt right last year may need adjustment this year.

That was one of the biggest lessons I learned this past year.

What 13 Dance Events Taught Me About Finding Balance

Throughout most of my dance career, I would attend two or three dance events each year.

That felt good.

That felt sustainable.

That allowed me to stay connected to the dance community while still creating space for the many other things I value.

Then last year happened.

For the first time, I attended thirteen dance events.

Now for some people, thirteen events may not sound like very many.

For others, it may sound like a lot.

For me, it was significantly more travel than I had ever done before.

And honestly, I was excited about it.

I love learning.

I love growing.

I love connecting with people from all over the world.

I love dancing.

I love adventure.

And there was so much goodness in that season.

I made some of the closest friendships I have had in years.

I created memories I will carry with me forever.

I learned from incredible instructors.

I experienced new places.

I laughed.

I grew.

I expanded.

When I look back on that year, I feel immense gratitude.

Yet as the year came to an end and I reflected on everything I had experienced, I found myself sitting with an unexpected realization.

Something felt a little out of balance.

Not because the experiences were wrong.

Not because the travel was bad.

Not because I regretted any of it.

But because when I really listened to myself, I realized it wasn't the pace I wanted to maintain.

And that realization taught me something important.

Sometimes Alignment Requires Reflection

One of the greatest gifts life has given me is learning to pause.

To reflect.

To listen.

To ask myself honest questions.

How does this feel?

What am I enjoying?

What am I not enjoying?

What is energizing me?

What is draining me?

Am I moving toward something because it genuinely lights me up?

Or because I think I should?

When I slowed down enough to ask those questions, I realized that although I had enjoyed the travel,

I was craving something different.

I was craving more time at home.

More time with family.

More time creating.

More time being present.

More time enjoying the life I had worked so hard to build.

Nothing was wrong.

My needs had simply changed.

And there is a huge difference between those two things.

The Trap of Comparison

As I continue working on finding balance in life, one of the biggest reminders I keep giving myself is this:

Stop comparing.

Comparison has a way of pulling us away from our own truth.

We see what others are doing.

We see their success.

Their accomplishments.

Their adventures.

Their opportunities.

And suddenly we begin questioning ourselves.

Maybe I should be doing more.

Maybe I should be traveling more.

Maybe I should be accomplishing more.

Maybe I should want what they have.

But what if what they have isn't actually what you want?

What if what looks amazing from the outside would leave you feeling exhausted on the inside?

What if the life that brings someone else joy is completely different from the life that brings you joy?

This is where comparison becomes dangerous.

Because it can convince us to move out of alignment with ourselves.

Not because we genuinely want something.

But because we think we should want it.

And those are two very different things.

There Is Goodness in the Process

One of the things I am most grateful for is that even though I ultimately decided thirteen events was more than I wanted to continue doing, I don't view the experience as a mistake.

Far from it.

There was so much goodness in that year.

The friendships.

The memories.

The growth.

The adventures.

The lessons.

None of it was wasted.

In fact, I needed those experiences to learn what I know now.

Sometimes we discover what works by trying it.

Sometimes we discover what doesn't work by trying it.

Both are valuable.

Both teach us.

Both help us grow.

It is okay to say:

That didn't work for me.

And I am glad I tried it.

I think we need to give ourselves permission to do that more often.

Coming Home to Myself

These past few months have looked very different.

I have spent more time at home with my family.

More time creating.

More time working in my yard.

Something I never expected to enjoy quite as much as I do.

Well, aside from the back-breaking work.

There has been something deeply satisfying about planting, creating, and watching things grow.

There has been something healing about slowing down.

Something grounding about being present.

Something beautiful about finding joy in simple things.

And in many ways, it has brought me back into balance.

Not because gardening is the answer.

But because listening to myself was.

Final Thoughts on Finding Balance in Life

If there is one thing I have learned, it is this:

Balance is not about finding the perfect formula. It is about continually returning to yourself. Listening. Adjusting. Trusting. And having the courage to choose what feels aligned, even when it looks different from what everyone else is doing.

What works one year may not work the next.

And that is okay.

You are allowed to evolve.

You are allowed to change your mind.

You are allowed to pivot.

You are allowed to choose something different.

Stay true to yourself.

Stay true to your desires.

Stay true to what matters most.

Celebrate the successes of others.

Cheer them on.

Be genuinely happy for them.

But do not lose yourself wishing you were living their life.

Your path is yours.

And that is a beautiful thing.

As you continue your own journey of finding balance in life, I hope you will give yourself permission to pause, listen, and trust what feels aligned for you.

Because at the end of the day, you have the ability to choose what is best for your current season, your current needs, and your current desires.

And both matter.

Your Friend,

Shalay 💛