10 Steps to Balancing Your Work, Life & Play

There are 4 words I hear from almost every client I work with…

“I AM SO TIRED!” Or … “I am so stressed” and almost always I hear… “I want balance back!”

We have been conditioned to do more, have more, work hard, prove ourselves and do do do! And so, we have created busy, demanding lifestyles which are draining us and which for many of us, lead to a feeling of resentment rather than joy.

If you just rolled your eyes thinking, “Ha! Joy, yeah, right! I wish I had time for joy…” Well then, read on… this one is for you. J

Health equals balance, so if our lives are not balanced then we are not healthy and that imbalance is going to present itself in many different forms, some even hidden. (Cloudy thought, illness, recurring illness, laziness, allergies, lethargy, irritation, restlessness, frustration, overwhelm etc) And to feel healthy we need 2 things: Energy and Attitude.

Energy is our life force and the fuel we have in our tank to drive us through everything we want to do and Attitude is our Mindset and our feelings towards who we are being along the way. You can have lots of energy and a poor attitude or a great attitude and no energy but when we have both at healthy, balanced levels, we thrive. The problem being, if we are feeling tired then we don’t have either.

So we must take a good look at what is draining our energy – what and who, and also what attitude adjustments we require. Notice if you are holding a negative attitude towards someone or something, and notice how you instantly experience an energy loss. You can empower yourself right now, by adjusting your thoughts and attitudes and in turn reach a state of inner harmony.

So let’s look at 10 ways you can get balance back into your life with your energy and attitude soaring!

1.    Know your Triggers.

We all have various stress triggers which we must become aware of before we can shift them. Without the awareness of our triggers we miss what starts the “stress cycle” so, with the awareness of your triggers you, you can begin to coach yourself through a new response.

Triggers are initiated through our senses: Visual (through sight, for example: a look a person gives you), Auditory (through sounds for example: tonality), Kinesthetic (through a feeling we have, for example, a sense you have upset someone), Gustatory (through taste), Olfactory (through smell). We also have an audio digital sense which means our self talk.

Think about what triggers you and how you react once you have  been triggered.

2.   Know  your signs of tiredness & listen to your body

We have been conditioned to push ourselves and override what our bodies begin to tell us in fear we will disappoint ourselves or others, let them down, fail or embarrass ourselves. That all belongs to EGO as it is all fear based. As we journey along the path towards SELF LOVE (the opposite state to EGO), we begin to honour ourselves, which means LISTENING to your needs over pleasing others. So when the body starts to say enough and we can feel the adrenal glands pushing over time- STOP!

3.   Stop and take a few deep breaths… often

As we become stressed we begin to shallow breath which means less oxygen is being circulated around the body causing a lack of energy and an inability to focus in the mind.

A helpful hint here is to focus in particular to the exhale breath- this means you exhale longer and deeper then the inhale breath and breathe out to the full completion of the breath (until you can no longer breathe out). This ensures a powerful exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs and expels toxins out of the body. This also helps you gain even deeper levels of relaxation and inner harmony.

4.   Find something you love to do and commit to it

Finding and expressing your passion instantly energizes you! Most of the time we prioritize what we “should” be doing, instead of what we want to be doing, leaving us feeling depleted, frustrated and resentful. Whatever your passion may be find time every day to express it. As you embrace your passion you will feel yourself gain a sense of fulfillment and self satisfaction and with this energy we gain by working our passion, we will feel more balanced, more creative and get even more done.

5.   EAT WELL

The “fuel” you put into your vehicle will determine your outer performance. Begin to notice what foods you react to or foods which drain your energy. Foods high in sugar will give you a big Buzz, but will sometimes (often) lead to an energy loss later. Ideally we want to eat foods which do not trigger our nervous system which will ultimately keep the body in homeostasis or balance.

6.   Have healthy personal boundaries and be confident in expressing them. This means, as hard as it may be, you CAN say “NO!” Too often we do not want to let others down or let ourselves down so we rather please others then please ourselves which ultimately throws off our balance. Make decisions towards what suits you and your needs and again override the EGO which manipulates you into feeling you MUST, or SHOULD, or HAVE TO. Like in step #2 this is about honouring and respecting yourself.

7.   KNOW YOUR LIMITS!

You have nothing to prove to anyone, so honour yourself over pleasing others. Be honest and truthful with yourself as to what you can cope with and what is realistic for you. Often others will try to push us beyond our limits and of course at times it is great for us to out of our comfort zone and challenge ourselves,but take not of when that goes beyond your coping threshold. Have clarity around what you "non-negotiables" are.

8.   Be around positive people who make you feel great

Toxic people are the “energy vampires” who will zap you instantly of your energy. Avoid those “energy vampires” who demand too much of you for their own gain. Part of taking responsibility for yourself is about deciding who

 you spend your time with, notice what people leave you feeling empowered and inspired and who dis-empowers you.

9.   HAVE AT LEAST ONE PERSON YOU CAN SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT HOW YOU ARE FEELING TO EXPRESS AND LET GO OF YOUR STRESS.

This also gives you a sounding board and a possible alternative perspective you may not be seeing. Ensure this person is a great listener as sometimes all you need to do is vent. Ensure this person is a great support and energy builder. If you cannot find this in your friendship base, invest in a coach or therapist to help you move forwards.

10. SLEEP WELL!

Our bodies recharge when we sleep, so ensure you are gaining the right amount of sleep for your own sleep threshold. Listen to those times when the body begins to say, “have an early night.” Great tips here are to avoid working on the computer too late, as that can often over stimulate you and begin a “winding down” routine from about 7pm. Having an earlier and lighter dinner may also help. Breathing techniques or guided meditation is a great way to settle yourself into a good sleep pattern.

And most importantly remember that life is for living and that everyday offers us an opportunity to decide whether we will disempower ourselves or empower ourselves. The more decisions we make towards empowerment the more balanced we feel – with loads of energy and a great attitude.

HAVE FUN!

Towards your truth and freedom,

Cheryne Blom

For more about Cheryne please also see: http://www.cheryneblom.com/ 

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