Modern life is hectic. As we enter into a period of great change, it is more important than ever that we keep the peace in our lives. As more change happens, things will only get more chaotic. For us young people, as the forerunners of the "new age", balance has become more important than ever. And yet, so many don't know why you need to maintain balance in life.

The idea is more prevalent in the East, with philosophies such as yin & yang and Taoism. However, I firmly believe that the lessons of balance from these philosophies are just as important all over the globe.

Everything has its counterpart, a counterpart that allows us to perceive both of those things in a way that is comprehensible. Without these opposing forces, there would be many things we would never know.

There are many things that are made better and easier when balance is maintained. To help you with this, here are two reasons why you need to maintain balance in your life.

1. Do you see the trees or the forest?

Have you ever met somebody so determined to accomplish a goal that they would forego more immediate pleasures? Or somebody who would do more of the opposite, where they minimize how much immediate pleasure they have to sacrifice? Regardless of whether you have or have not, it is important to know which one you are.

If we are to make progress in any area of our lives, we must know from where we start. Only then can we make accurate assessments of where we need to improve.

When it comes to balance, you must know whether you miss the trees for the forest or the forest for the trees. Allow me to explain

Those who are overly shortsighted are just as bad as those who are overly farsighted. 

The overly shortsighted give little attention to how current events will affect the future. This can lead to catastrophic consequences later down the road.

The overly farsighted are willing to sacrifice here and now for the sake of the future, not paying attention to the plight and suffering in the present moment. This leads to catastrophic consequences that are more immediate.

Regardless of which one you are, you must know where you are so you can balance these out. Unfortunately, there is only one way to balance these out, and that is to try doing the opposite of your natural disposition.

If you are too shortsighted or farsighted, your decision-making abilities will be compromised, not only for yourself but for those who rely upon you. If you cannot make effective decisions in a decisive manner, that's a problem.

Another part of decision-making is reflecting upon your choices and seeing how they worked and how they didn't.

Being decisive is the sign of a Masculine being. Being decisive and having the ability to reflect is the sign of a wise and masculine man.

To become a truly masculine man, you will need wisdom. For that wisdom to be effective, you will need to make choices. And to make effective choices, you cannot be overly shortsighted or farsighted.

2. Possibly a ticking bomb

I'm positive that by this point in your life either you or somebody you know has been pushed very hard by stress. Whether right to the edge or far below that, stress is a big factor in life enjoyment. Those who have more stress in life tend to be more miserable, while those who balance it out tend to have a better time.

One key thing to note is that stress is mostly self-inflicted. The reason why you can feel so stressed out is because you deem that thing so important that you need to worry.

There are so many people like this, and it starts as early as grade school. From such a young age, people are putting immense amounts of pressure on themselves to perform.

I still remember when I was one of those students stressing over getting one question wrong even though I got more than 90% on my test. Those were not fun days.

However, I have learned since then that stress, just like other emotional states, is a choice.

You are the one who decides how you view certain situations. If a scenario ends up stressful, it's because you chose it to be that way.

This is what leads so many people over the deep end. They choose to be stressed out more than they need to be, which makes them eventually blow their lid. Despite all of this, it's still important to maintain a certain level of stress in your life.

Anything in excess is dangerous, whether it's a good or bad thing. However, anything in scarcity can be dangerous as well.

When we have too much of the good stuff, life loses its glint and shine. Everything becomes boring and uneventful.

When we have too little of the good stuff, life becomes desolate and desperate. Everything becomes difficult and possibly unbearable.

However, the most important balance to have is between optimism and realism. 

Too much optimism leads to unattainable ideals that can cause wars or rip apart families. Too little optimism leads to despair that can cause nations to falter and wither.

When you maintain proper balance in your life, you prevent your life from tipping too far and turning a virtue into a vice.

Balance leads to a fulfilling life

Those who lead lives filled with strife and suffering are those who have lives that are out of balance. They tip too far to one end or the other.

Whether they realize it or not, they are the conductors of their own misery. They bring about the chaos in their lives because they choose to let it remain.

By choosing to maintain the balance in your life, you will overcome these obstacles. That way, when the day comes when you inevitably tip too far to one edge, you'll know how to tip the scales back.

- Karl