Is balance in your genes?

I had an interesting conversation last week with a close friend about balance. He suggested that some people might be more pre-disposed to being in balance than others – maybe even to the point where the desire to be in balance is in the genes.

It is possible, for example when you look at addiction, his hypothesis could be true. Some people are built a certain way and are predisposed to act a certain way based on the chemistry in their body. After thinking about this and wondering if a drunk can sober up or a smoker can quit smoking why then can’t someone who is used to living in chaos learn to live in a more balanced way?

Just like an addict has to learn new routines, identify triggers and place themselves in new scenarios, so does a person striving for a more balanced life. For example in one of my early blog posts I talked about how I had built my life around others who were out of balance like I was – so when I was late, I missed dinner or simply didn’t show up – the behavior was tolerated and forgiven.

So is it that because being out of balance isn’t life threatening (at least on the surface) it’s easier not to try to be in balance? Has a relationship ever been destroyed or a family torn about because one of the members is out of balance? Maybe not in a way that is as dramatic as with drugs or alcohol, but my guess is its slower more drawn out way, that over times builds and builds.

So then the question I ask is how do you motivate a person to aspire to live a more balance life if they see no perceived threat and/or benefit to their life? I assume that it is just like with an addict – the one seeking balance must want it enough to make the lifestyle changes to support it – because in the end balance is a personal lifestyle choice.