Embracing today's off-kilter existence.

• Position: Sociology

Millions of Americans live their life off-balance, lurching from one event to the next, but that may not be as bad as it seems. According to a study by the Families and Work Institute, New York, one-third of U.S. employees chronically are overworked and about half have been overworked at some point in the past month. Couple that statistic with the ever increasing number of Americans who are out of work, and it becomes clear that more and more citizens unmistakably are off-kilter and out of sorts.

Juggling all aspects of life always has been a balancing act, but author and speaker Dan Thurmon believes that an off-balance life should not be fixed but, rather, embraced.

"Every day, we are inundated with messages about the importance of finding 'balance' in our lives." declares Thurmon, author of Off Balance On Purpose--Embrace Uncertainty and Create a Life You Love. "How does this make us feel? Overwhelmed, out of touch, and unfulfilled. The problem isn't us--it's the message. Perfect balance is unachievable and undesirable. The perpetual quest for balance ends up limiting growth, progress, and the quality of life."

Thurmon's theory is that people need to free themselves from the "balance" dilemma and learn to thrive during uncertain times with a shift in attitude and actions: embrace reality, get aligned with your purpose, lean forward, and initiate positive changes. He offers the following tips to changing the attitude from anxiety to empowerment:

* Accept and take advantage of the contradictions in our dally lives.

* Once you embrace uncertainty fully, you can learn to thrive in the midst of chaos and see opportunities that previously were invisible to you.

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