Getting enough sleep each night and feeling well rested, participating in healthy, meaningful relationships, feeding your soul (doing something JUST FOR YOU), and practising some form of meditation, spirituality, or belief that is supportive and healing Balancing your lifestyle is so SUPER DUPER important!!! For me, by balance, I mean eating a balanced diet of healthy, nutritious foods and leaving some room for indulgence (I said some!), exercising daily and sweating to release toxins and produce endorphins (Ok! I will admit this is my challenging one! I get into a routine and follow it religiously for months and then something happens where I break the routine, and BAM. Before I know it exercise is a thing of the past.. so this is My challenge to get back and get motivated!!), getting enough sleep each night and feeling well rested, participating in healthy, meaningful relationships, feeding your soul (doing something JUST FOR YOU), and practicing some form of meditation, spirituality, or belief that is supportive and healing. Living a balanced life helps coping with day to day life much easier. I believe that when we don’t live balanced lives our bodies make sure we make up for it somehow. For example, getting sick :-(. Our bodies’ need rest and eventually will tell us that in different ways that force us to shut down for a bit and take a much needed break.

These are the TOP lifestyle habits that I think are important:

Something just for you:

Whether you read a good book, go for an after dinner walk, take a bath, or sit in a sauna before bed, it is good to find something you enjoy that is just for you everyday. This gives you a little break from everything else and gives you something to look forward to each day. What is something that you love to do that is just for you?

Balanced Diet:

I like the 80/20 rule, 80% of the time eating healthy, nutritious foods that make us feel GREAT and ALIVE with ENERGY, and 20% of the time indulging in something that may not be “super healthy” but still makes us feel happy and satisfied such as a glass of wine, piece of chocolate, or scoop of your favourite ice cream… all in moderation right?!

Participating in healthy and meaningful relationships:

This could mean feeling wanted, needed, or even just a part of something. Taking time to love and be loved.

Its proven time and again that when we have the support and encouragement of those around us who we care about it gives us an inner strength that words cannot describe.

Meditation/spirituality/reflection/believing in something greater than yourself:

Taking time to clear your mind and empty any feelings or thoughts that need to be released is a good way to deal with stress, emotions, and daily events that sometimes feel overwhelming.

Exercise:

A good combination of cardio and strengthening will keep us feeling fit, young, and in a healthy mind set.

I know from my own experiences, the days that I exercise (usually jogging outside, swimming, in home exercises, and Zumba) I feel amazing! I feel strong, confident, and very tired at the end of the day, ready for bed. Which is how we should feel!!

Sleep:

Practicing healthy sleep habits is SOO important! While we sleep is when our batteries are recharging.

When you charge your phone do you pull it off the charger before it is completely charged? What happens when you do? It dies quicker than it should, right?

Routine is really important to keep in mind when it comes to sleep. Waking up and going to bed at the same time each nights is training our bodies into a routine, and our bodies LOVE routine when it comes to Sleep! You want to make sure you are getting into that deep sleep called REM, which is where dreams happen and our bodies are processing information, and regenerating for the next day.

Take a break!

No, I don’t mean have a kit-kat! 😉 I mean take a break during the day, sit down at the table to eat a meal, have a tea with a friend, vacation regularly and go to that destination spot that you’ve always wanted! In my experiences if you don’t take the rest that your body needs eventually your body will make sure you do.. and not in the way you intended!!

Live in the moment and slow down:

Forget obsessing about the past and the future. Of course it is important to learn from the past and plan for the future, but enjoying and taking in the moment of right now is something we can all benefit from.

Growing up, I had 5 older siblings and I always wanted to be older so that I could do all of things they were doing! I was growing up faster than I realized and eventually wouldn’t always be able to enjoy the exciting and unforgettable experiences of just being a kid!!

Have a “job” that is never a “job”:

When you love what you do it means that it doesn’t feel like “work”. The rest will just fall into place. When you are passionate about what you do it will show in everything you do.

This post is all ways of how I try to find balance. Its all a journey and we each need less or more of each at different stages of our lives.. well every day for that matter! I want to know from you..

What things are you doing when you feel most balanced? Do you feel balance in your life?

Please feel free to ask questions, offer your own struggles or challenges, and comment on your progress. We couldn’t be more excited to hear from you! Also, invite friends and family to read and learn this info and let’s Be Healthy and Feel Fabulous together! 

Photographs by Laura Harvey.