What Does an Integrated Life Look Like?

A balanced life or an integrated one?

It's an interesting question - and maybe it's splitting hairs a little depending on your point of view. Still, I think there is a difference.

A balanced life, almost by definition, means that everything is equal. That the time you spend on your career or in your business is equal to the time you spend outside of it. That the time you spend with your family and friends is equal to the time you spend on your personal pursuits.

The thing is...there just aren't enough hours in the day for it to be equal. And, honestly, you are probably not equally interested or committed to each of these areas to give them the same amount of time.

These are the reasons, among other ones, that I prefer the idea of an integrated life. Having each piece of my life and my passions work in synch with the other areas of my life is vastly important. It doesn't make me feel like I have to choose what to focus on because each piece is working together. It means that I can be on a 10-day family vacation and still work with my coach, come up with new ideas for my own clients and strategize my new offerings for upcoming joint ventures. I still fully enjoy the time with my husband and kids - and may be more so because I don't feel torn or like I have to choose.

Each of these is part of who I am - and who I want to be. This is what lifestyle and lifestyle design are all about to me.

What about you? Balanced or integrated...or something else altogether?