Hey!

I’ve been thinking a lot about balance lately.

In my first book, Balance It Out, I learned that you have to balance eating and activity, to be in a healthy weight range. You can have a few treats, but should eat nutritious stuff and have good habits; and you should move enough, and do sports and activities that are fun for you. Having that balance makes you healthy and it makes you feel good.

Lately, I’ve realized you need balance in all aspects of your life. My buddy Tom and I have been playing doubles in tennis. At first, I was taking everything too seriously, and he was kind of goofing around. Now when we play together, I help him focus and he helps me calm down. It makes us play really well!

It made me think of the ‘Yin Yang’ thing… so I looked it up!

Have you ever seen this symbol?

It’s the symbol for ‘yin and yang’.

It’s a really cool concept that comes from ancient Chinese philosophy. It basically says that two opposite things can come together to make something whole.

Yin actually means ‘shady side’ and yang means ‘sunny side’. (And when you think about it, being in the sun makes you appreciate the shade, and being in the shade makes you appreciate the sun! The two opposites make something good.)

So, for example, daytime and nighttime make a whole day.

For me, I need activity (like tennis!) but I also need rest. Those opposite things come together and make me a better player. In fact, if you want to get better at something like a sport or skill, you need to train or practice, then rest to adapt and recover. Or if you’re studying, it’s good to take a break or get outside (to let all that knowledge soak in)!

I really like the idea of ‘yin and yang’.

For me, life is way better when you have some balance!

Bye for now!

Finn