Air conditioning in the heat. The warmth of a fireplace in the winter.

Contrast is good.

Contrast brings an opposite of sorts to the otherwise bland or mundane — or better, the sameness of things. Although none of those words really explains what contrast is contrasting.

It’s the opposing force that brings balance.

Without contrast, things just feel off.

The way that a blurry photo brings some primal sense of unease, contrast brings clarity. It brings comfort — a feeling of ahh, that’s better.

If you find yourself stuck in a rut, slogging along a path that feels endless and without point, introduce contrast.

Change up your routines, switch up your diet, shift your mental perspective, start a new hobby or take an online course just for fun. Fresh goals aren’t just for New Year’s.

Add more contrast to your life and things will not only feel better, but there’s a good chance the balance and clarity you find may lead to far better things.

But as with editing a photograph, too much contrast can throw off the balance — rendering the picture just as discomforting as if it were blurred.

Adjust the contrast of your life.

Seek balance.