People who understand the importance of personal development and who have cultivated a high degree of self-mastery are the ones most able to sail through challenging times with confident balance. They’ve learned to deeply listen and respond skillfully to the subtle whispers that warn them when they are drifting out of balance. As a result, they are more likely to eat when they are hungry, and to rest and renew themselves when they are tired. By recognizing and reducing the harmful accumulations of stress, they are able to live in a more balanced and more disease-resistant way.

In the process of developing the mindfulness necessary to recognize and master stress, we can also deepen our mind-body-spirit connection as a whole. This allows us to gain the inner strength and understanding necessary to meet every situation in a more balanced, centered way.

One sign of effective personal energy management is that people are able to maintain optimal energy levels throughout the day without dependence upon the use of such stimulants as caffeine, sugar, and nicotine. Although stimulants appear to offer us free energy, they actually drive the system out of balance at our expense. As a result, the body has to expend more energy to restore the imbalance caused by them.

Instead of relying on counterproductive stimulants, "balance masters" choose options such as frequent exercise and practicing self-renewing and revitalizing skills that prevent the accumulation of stress, and bring a higher degree of self-confidence, self-control, self-acceptance, and self-respect. Like skills in any domain, such personal skills are developed gradually over time through discipline, practice, coaching, and proper instruction.