Having a stable life is essential to your happiness and fulfillment. It seems we often presume that we should naturally have a ‘stable life’ by default, almost like the bodies natural state of homeostasis… and when we don’t, we feel huge discomfort.
However, unlike homeostasis, creating a stable life is more like balancing on a tightrope – it doesn’t just come to us because we exist; creating a stable life is a skill. It’s more like a recipe similar to baking a cake that requires a number of key ingredients.
This article draws on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to offer five tips on creating a more stable emotional life.
HOME
Having a stable sense of home is imperative. This doesn’t have to be a fancy property, it can be a room in a shared house, or even a trailer, as long as you feel safe, independent and at peace. This should be your “safe place” that you feel comfortable and grounded in. The well known saying “tidy house tidy mind” is true when it comes to creating stability – if you have a clean, tidy, and well organised home this has a significant effect on your emotional health and well-being.
Furthermore, your sense of ‘home’ goes beyond bricks and mortar, it’s a sense of certainty that the rug isn’t going to be pulled under from you. Therefore, the feeling of home could better be described as a feeling of certainty and security; that everything is going to be alright – a shelter from the storm.
FINANCE
You don’t need to be rich in order to have financial stability. You do, however have to have an income that comfortably covers your expenses. Whether this is from a full-time job, a part-time job, or even welfare – there needs to be a secure and reliable stream of income that comes from a secure and non-emotionally dependent source; meaning nobody else is holding the purse strings (such as a partner). Financial stability is only truly possible when you have control over your income.
HEALTH & WELL-BEING
Your health is your foundation. You can have all the money in the world, a beautiful home, and great relationships – but without your health, life has a tendency to feel very unstable.
The term “prevention is better than cure” is true when it comes to having stability, as when you know you are keeping on top of looking after yourself, you feel more positive and stable about the future. In that spirit, it might be worth considering some of the Health Insurance Innovations available to ensure you have a decent level of cover, in the event something were to go wrong; as another term for stability, in the context of this article is peace of mind.
The other aspect is to consider is your mental health as well as your physical health; as too often we categorize health to be physical. Our mental and emotional well-being is equally important, and whilst this area is getting more and more attention nowadays, its importance is still often overlooked.
RELATIONSHIPS
“No man (or woman) is an island” and when it comes to finding stability, a supportive network of caring friends is fundamental. However, sometimes, it can be the people in our life that cause our instability. It’s important to consider your relationships carefully and work out which relationships add to your sense of stability and which relationships destabilize you.
MINDSET & EMOTIONS
The thoughts that you think create the feelings you feel, and at times, it can feel like you aren’t in control of your emotions but you decide where to focus your attention, and as the popular saying states “where attention goes energy flows” – This means that if you have a positive focus then you will attract more positive things whereas if you have a negative focus you will attract more negative circumstances. Meditation, and in particular mindfulness are great tools to help calm and balance the mind.
I loved all your analogies and how you broke down each section of stability. I especially liked the emotions section and think positive and positive will come, think negative and negative will come. This is true and so many of us forget this, our mindset is what plays a big part in how things play out. Thank for you this post!
Thank YOU for such a beautiful comment, Tiffany!
Excellent post Christy, with lots of helpful and wonderful suggestions.
Agree – whole heartedly!
I ADORE having your support <3
xoxoxo :D It’s a 2-way street, dear Christy!
Wow, so well said Christy. I especially liked the part about home feeling safe….no matter where it is.
The value of home cannot be stressed enough xx
another great read!
This is a welcome message in a world where we are constantly pushed towards change. We need reminding that there are many worse things than “boring”, and a good life is more mellow than drama. Thanks Christy.
If we can maintain stability in life, our foundation will always be solid. Thank for sharing, Christy!
Such a powerful reminder. Thanks Christy for this amazing post :-)
Yes indeed, stability is something many of us take for granted yet is essential to our well-being. My heart goes out to all those in war torn regions of the world or those who have suffered from natural disasters that have taken their homes, loved ones and all they hold dear from them and seem to float from one disaster to another. Yes, indeed, a stable life is something to be valued. Thanks Christy, I found this very thought provoking.
This is a basic and important lesson, Christy. Every step is necessary and it takes hard work. Going through your points made me wonder a lot; stability in life is what leads to happiness and this is not an obvious thing. Some of us may struggle more than others in order to achieve just a little result.
Wonderful post, Christy. I learned at an early age to never take my health for granted, as well as the importance of living within my means.
That supporting network of caring friends is crucial. I feel that the number of “caring” friends is reducing as I am becoming older. Or, may be it is natural to shorten the perimeter of friend circle for a more stable life. Great post. Have a wonderful week.
I completely agree with your insights as to quality over quantity Settleinelpaso ;)
Very good post, Christy. To find the balancing key is a challenge, but it does give stability.
That is truly exact! I myself have a health issue, but I don’t let it run my life. It’s true, a tidy house is a tidy mind.😍
In a place where everyone is apparently expected to live beyond their means, people are totally stunned when they learn that I live within my own. Have a terrific Tuesday, Christy. Hugs.