Created by Justine Astacio, LMHC, The Balance Formula is the framework that guides everything we do at Lotus Theory.
These four variables shape how we define calm, courage, connection, and success in daily life.
They remind us that balance isn’t a fixed state, but a practice of returning to ourselves.
Many people come to therapy seeking balance, clarity, and self-expression, but aren’t sure what that actually feels like.
Over time, Justine began to notice a pattern. First through her own self-reflection, and then in her work with clients. When you can recognize which part of yourself is asking for care, you begin to move toward change with greater clarity and compassion. That process became the foundation for The Balance Formula.
The Balance Formula helps name what’s needed, respond with intention, and return to center again and again.
It’s a framework you can personalize into your own balance toolkit, a guide for staying connected to yourself through life’s shifts.
Balance isn’t a destination. It’s a daily practice.
Emotional freedom, self-exploration = strengthening self-awareness.
Each variable represents a form of balance we move through and personally define.
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Together, they create a grounded path toward self-awareness and embodied balance.
Cultivate stillness and presence so you can move through life with greater ease and clarity. Serenity invites pause, reflection, and space to reset.
Build resilience by honoring your story and trusting your body’s capacity to carry you through change. Strength is a mind-body connection rooted in movement, breath, and mental fortitude that allows you to stay open through discomfort.
Practice compassion for yourself and others, and nurture relationships that help you feel seen and supported. Love creates emotional safety, allowing you to soften and stay open through vulnerability.
Honor the values that shaped you while defining success on your own terms. Celebrate wins as a reflection of your growth and to what feels meaningful.
Ready to explore how these show up in your life?
Balance is not about having every variable in perfect harmony all the time.
What matters is noticing what’s present and what you may need more of.
The Formula gives you a way to understand and explore where you are and what you might need, without judgement, without pressure. And with emotional freedom.
The Balance Formula is a practice of awareness and realignment.
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Use it as a simple weekly check-in or a daily reflection when you feel off center.
Pick a day each week to check in with yourself.
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Do a quick self-scan, a gentle check-in with your body and emotions to notice tension, heaviness, restlessness, or places that need a bit more care or attention.
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Which variable feels low or unattainable?
Do you need calm from Serenity, courage from Strength, connection from Love, or success from Life?
Choose one small action that supports that need.
It might be rest, expression, reflection, reaching out, or going to a place that’s yours and where you feel safe and at peace.
If you’re exploring the Formula daily, focus on one variable at a time, let it guide how you move, connect, or rest that day.
Use your awareness to choose one small way to realign.
Slow you breathing to invite calm
Stretch to reconnect with strength
Reach out to someone for connection
Reflect on a recent success
Practice without judgement and allow yourself the freedom to grow and change along the way.
Over time, this process becomes your personal Balance Toolkit, a set of practices, reminders, and rituals that help you stay grounded and whole.
Set aside a moment each week to reconnect with where you are in the Formula and notice what’s shifted since your last check-in.
Work with a clinician to deepen your Balance Formula practice and create tools that fit your life.
If this feels new or uncertain, start small.
Begin by simply noticing which variable speaks to you most. Awareness itself is part of the practice.
When you’re ready, we’ll help you turn that awareness into action through therapy, somatic work, or community experiences that support your growth at your own pace.
At Lotus Theory, The Balance Formula lives within everything we do.
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It shapes how we structure therapy sessions, design somatic experiences, and create community offerings.
Through talk, movement, breathwork, and sound, our goal is to help you find the balance that’s true for you, one that honors your story, your body, and your pace.
Whether you’re seeking calm, courage, connection, or success on your own terms, every Lotus Theory offering is rooted in The Balance Formula. Each one is designed to help you experience balance in a way that feels personal and true to you.
Every experience is an invitation to return to balance in the way that feels most natural to you.
You might still have questions about how The Balance Formula works in real life. Here are a few that often come up as people begin exploring balance for themselves
The Balance Formula isnāt about perfection or performance. Itās a living framework that helps you understand what you need in the moment and return to yourself with compassion. It combines clinical care with somatic and emotional practices so balance becomes something you feel, not something you chase.
Not at all. Youāll learn it naturally through your sessions and experiences. The Formula shows up in everything we do at Lotus Theory. Youāll begin to recognize how Serenity, Strength, Love, and Life play out in your day-to-day without having to memorize anything.
Yes. The Formula is designed to be both personal and practical. Once you understand the variables, you can use them as a simple check-in whenever you feel off balance. Our clinicians can also help you deepen this practice so it becomes part of your daily rhythm.
Start by noticing how you feel mentally, physically, and emotionally. Do you need calm, courage, connection, or success? That awareness alone is part of the practice. Over time, it becomes easier to recognize what you need and how to respond.
If youāre looking to explore your emotions and patterns through conversation, start with Therapy. If youāre ready to reconnect with your body and release stress, try Movement & Breathwork or Sound Therapy. If you want to explore all four variables in a community setting, join one of our Events or Retreats.
Yes. Lotus Theory offers two ways to bring The Balance Formula into your daily life. The My Formula, My Balance Journal is a guided reflection tool that helps you explore Serenity, Strength, Love, and Life through prompts that build self-awareness and help you create your own balance toolkit. The Hello, Joy card game is a fun, connection-driven game that can be played solo or with friends. Itās designed to spark laughter and meaningful conversation. An easy way to practice joy, presence, and belonging wherever you are. Both are simple, accessible ways to keep your practice going between sessions or to begin exploring balance on your own.
The best way is to begin. Book a therapy session, join a session, or sign up for an event. Every experience at Lotus Theory is built around this framework and offers a different doorway back to balance.
