Let's get rounded

I know you can be ‘well-rounded’, and in a way you can be ‘ill-rounded’, but can you ever just be ‘rounded’?

Think of a person being described as well-rounded. For me, it brings this idea of being highly developed, excelling, and it almost seems like an unachievable state of being. Is it possible to be truly well-rounded? How can one person be so wonderful in every aspect of life? I guess the opposite of this would be someone who is inexperienced, potentially lacking in certain areas and fractured to a certain extent. Honestly, I don’t particularly want to play in either of these courts.

Being well-rounded sounds hard, as if you are maintaining an almost perfect façade. For me perfectionism would be overwhelming, unsustainable and draining, trying to continually achieve this flawless state. It wouldn’t necessarily be for me and in line with my values either. The perfectionism would likely be a false presentation for others, a misrepresentation of how I actually feel, and wowee that sounds like an effort.

Being ill-rounded also sounds hard but in a different way. In a battling way where you feel like you might be falling behind and are always chasing your tail. Always just scraping by, potentially missing out, and maybe even misunderstood by others.

This leads me to the middle ground… being rounded. Balanced. Even average you could say. Now I like the sound of that! In a way maybe I am already sitting in this rounded space. I like to take a holistic approach towards life, which in it’s philosophical definition is characterised by the belief that the parts of something are intimately interconnected and explicable only to the whole. I am health conscious by nature but that doesn’t mean I don’t binge watch TV, have my lazy days, and drink and eat too much (my weakness being chocolate). There’s got to be balance, right?! I would also say I’m a realist in life. I appreciate that there are always two sides to every story, that there will be ups and downs in life, and that we can’t always be happy in every waking moment (as much as I would love to live in a blissfully naïve bubble of rainbows and butterflies). From a whole person perspective I believe all emotions should be felt, but it is how these emotions are regulated and expressed where the boundaries need to lie. This concept of being rounded sounds like a contented way to live.

The circle - a rounded shape - is a powerful symbol representing limitless things, and a wholeness where the beginning meets the end and nothing is lost in between. It represents balance and it’s this steadiness I seek. The Rounded Way aims to explore all that life is and then use this information to challenge myself to be the most contented version of myself. I would love for you to come along for the ride. No subject is off topic and I have so much to learn, so… here we go! Let’s get ROUNDED!