Balance Doesn’t Exist — Here’s What Does
As this year winds down, I’ve been thinking a lot about what “balance” really means — and what it doesn’t. After years of studying, writing, and living The Rebalancing Act, I’ve learned that balance isn’t something we find and keep; it’s something we rebuild, again and again.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing short reflections on how to find meaning in life’s motion — especially as we head into the holiday season. From letting go of perfection to protecting your peace and rebalancing in real time, these messages are reminders that balance doesn’t exist… but rebalance always does.
Here’s the first reflection:
We’ve all said it: “I just need to find balance.” But after years of living, leading, and interviewing dozens of women and men for my book The Rebalancing Act, I can tell you — balance doesn’t actually exist. Something is always going to shift. A job changes, a child needs you, your health wobbles, the world tilts. The goal was never to stand still — it’s to move with intention when things change.
What I’ve learned — through my own divorce, cancer journey, and the seventy interviews that followed — is that success and fulfillment aren’t about control. They’re about agility. The ability to notice when you’re off center, realign, and keep moving forward.
If you’ve been following this series, you know rebalancing isn’t new—but this season, we’re taking it deeper. Instead of trying to stay balanced, I want to help you master the rhythm of rebalancing—again and again—as life evolves.
Try this: instead of asking, “How can I stay balanced?” ask, “Where do I need to rebalance today?”
It’s a softer, truer question — one that honors change instead of fighting it.
Because balance isn’t a final state. It’s a rhythm.
And rebalancing — again and again — is how we learn to live meaningfully in motion.
→ Reflection prompt: Where in your life are you overdue for a gentle rebalance?
Until next time,
Carol Enneking
Author of The Rebalancing Act: Wisdom from Working Women for Success that Matters