Moderation is certainly something I have struggled with in my life. Having moderation, or in my mind finding balance, is such an important part of maintaining health and longevity. I have spent time exploring what moderation means to me and reworking my thoughts so it is ever-present in my thinking. I look forward to continuing to develop a greater degree of balance in my life and I hope you enjoy reading what I have discovered so far!
Formal Definition
- avoiding extremes of behavior or expression : observing reasonable limits.
- calm, temperate.
Origin
early 15c., moderacioun, “quality of being moderate or temperate; a lessening of rigor or severity,” from Old French moderacion (14c.) “alteration, modification; mitigation, alleviation” and directly from Latin moderationem (nominative moderatio) “a controlling, guidance, government, regulation; moderation, temperateness, self-control,” noun of action from past-participle stem of moderari “to regulate, mitigate, restrain, temper, set a measure, keep (something) within measure,” from PIE root *med- “take appropriate measures.” Meaning “act of moderating or restraining” is from 1520s.
Personal Definition
Moderation is all about balance and knowing the right amount of something in one’s life. Being moderate is often associated with less, eating less food, engaging less in nonproductive activities, or reducing spending in superfluous areas. Moderation to me is finding the balance, whether that does mean reducing or lessening something but also increasing things that have fallen into the opposite extreme. Moderation is something that can be applied to everything, including itself.
Moderation: Continual observation and adjustment of how one uses their time, energy, and thoughts to seek greater balance among all aspects of life.
Quotes
“Moderation is the silken string running through the pearl chain of all virtues.”
-Joseph Hall
“Only actions give life strength; only moderation gives it charm.”
-Jean Paul
Symbol
The symbol consists of an eye with a diamond-shaped pupil with two other diamonds, one larger and one smaller. The eye is meant to express the necessity of observation in attaining moderation. The pupil of the eye is the middle diamond to portray the importance of avoiding extremes in life. The different sized shapes are diamonds because each is made of two arrowheads which represents the necessity of a continual flow of states to find the optimal balance in life.
Poem
“Moderation”
Observe, analyze, adjust,
Achieve a balance, you must;
Observe, analyze, adjust,
Breaking deeper than the crust.
Weighing energy versus value,
Exchanging what does not serve you
For a greater sense of equanimity,
Within yourself, there is now stability.
Observe, analyze, adjust,
Achieve a balance, you must;
Observe, analyze, adjust,
Breaking deeper than the crust.
Painting
The painting above is my representation of Moderation. The painting consists of three figures varying in size connected with bidirectional arrows. The smallest figure represents the extreme of deficiency, and the largest figure represents the extreme of excess. The middle figure portrays the balance of these two and the ideal condition to live within and is therefore surrounded by a shimmer. The arrows going both ways express the importance of continual adjustment to achieve the desired state of equilibrium.
Questions and Answers
Why is this a value you want to instill in your life?
Moderation or finding balance is something I have never been too great at. I think having moderation prevalent in one’s life is vital to maintaining inner balance and therefore inner peace as well as not becoming absorbed by any single aspect of one’s life. I resonate deeply with the quote above that suggests that Moderation is not only important in and of itself but is also vital to observe in all values that are important to you. Finding a balance in every aspect of my life is very important to me and consistently maintaining a degree of moderation is a necessary step to achieving this.
What activities bring out this value?
In any situation where thoughtful restraint is employed, moderation as a value is strengthened. This can be as simple as getting a small bowl to portion out some nuts instead of eating mindlessly straight from the container. But can also be as complex as closely analyzing how one spends each hour of the day and identifying and correcting any activity that is over or under performed.
How would the world be different if more people identified more with this ideal?
So many of the world’s problems are rooted in greed and the desire to have the most or more than others. If people allowed moderation to hold more weight in their decisions, they would be less likely to overindulge in everything from food to power and wealth. These new actions motivated by moderation would prevent hoarding of wealth and resources and as a result, would improve the lives of many individuals. As a species, we have become too focused on growth rather than prosperity and have not taken the time to question whether more really is better, with a greater sense of moderation, this question is more likely to be addressed.
What image comes to mind when visualizing this ideal?
I envision a large meter that iteratively swings back and forth after each experience slowly finding its balance at the optimal location. I also picture a constantly changing individual, with multiple seethrough arms and legs moving around to test new experiences, as to represent their constant corrections to maintain moderation and balance.
How can people who want to do this first take steps to include it in their daily routine more?
The first step is becoming aware of the imbalances in one’s life that need to be addressed with moderation. This involves self-observation and analysis as well as some potentially brutal honesty with oneself. Some actionable steps include recording everything one did that day for a week then reviewing it so that the truth of how one’s time is spent is more obvious. Then making the necessary corrections if certain things are taking up more time than the value they are adding and vice versa.
If you have any other questions you think would aid in the understanding and development of future ideals, please leave a comment below!
Songs
The following playlist is the beginning of my collection of songs that I believe embody Moderation:
If you have any other songs you think would fit in the playlist, please leave a comment down below letting me know!
Next Value: Nature
The next value I will be addressing is Nature. We come from and, in my opinion, we feel the most alive when we are within and connected to nature. Playing outside in the woods was one of my favorite pastimes as a child but as I grew up I have lost that time and connection with the outdoors. I look forward to recultivating that relationship and love for nature.
Make Today Your Best Day Yet!
“Life is a series of fresh starts, the frequency of use is up to the individual”
~Zak Keller aka amusingmonk~
Amusing Monk 