Balance

This post is something a little different, but I wanted to expand my blog to include health & wellness - since it’s something that I have been fascinated by and passionate about for awhile now - and since I likely won’t be able to travel much farther than Geelong for a few months, I thought this would be another good topic for me to dip my feet into.

This post will specifically focus on balance, and how I personally achieve it in my life. Maybe whoever is reading this will be able to get some ideas as well. And maybe during this time in the world, it’s especially important - since some of us (including me) might be feeling a little less balanced than usual, since we may not have our usual outlets to focus our energy on - like the gym, the yoga studio, our job, and hanging out with friends. All of us are spending more time at home than we would like to be, so rest and downtime have been at the forefront. For me personally, I find that too much downtime makes me sluggish and lazy, and I start feeling a little bit down emotionally. It’s actually hard for me to spend more than one full day relaxing at home before I start feeling unmotivated.

That’s why balance is so important. So, I’m going to list some things that I personally enjoy doing to maintain a healthy balance in my life - both mentally, emotionally, and physically.

Eat well - most of the time

I friggen adore food. I even drift off to sleep with a smile on my face dreaming about what I’m going to make for breakfast - which by the way, is my favourite meal.

A few years ago, I ate whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, and for the most part, I still felt normal after I ate - not bloated or sick. But my body changed, and didn’t really appreciate as much Fat Bastard Burrito anymore, so I had to switch it up. But at first, I was really strict with it. I wasn’t trying to lose weight, but my skin had been acting out and I also hadn’t been feeling my best emotionally, so I was hoping that my eating better would solve that. The problem was that for a few months I became really anxious every single time I would eat anything I didn’t consider to be healthy, like a slice of pie or anything with added sugar. I noticed that I was starting to have a negative relationship with food, and that was just not going to fly with me.

Now though, I’ve managed to find balance. I eat super healthy most of the time, but it’s important to be able to enjoy the foods you like too - without any guilt. I read that it’s a really good guideline to eat healthy meals 80% of the time, and I think that’s a really good way to maintain balance. Your body will thank you.

Know when to drink water - and when to drink wine

I drink about 3 litres of water a day, and on Friday I drank 1 litre of wine. Do you get what I’m saying?

You should probably drink a whole lot of water everyday anyways, since the benefits of drinking it are basically endless. But you also need to know when it’s time to have a little somethin’ else, you know?

Pro Tip: Carry a 1L water bottle with you.. then you only have to drink that three times.

Mix it up

Try to have a few different entertainment and education sources to keep your mind sharp. I enjoy listening to a spirituality talk from my favourite podcast show and learning something interesting, and then watching a fashion haul on Youtube, and then, reading a self-development book or a novel. It’s good for your mind to have a few different sources to learn from. There are times where it’s important to stimulate your mind and then there are times when it’s important sit in your bed like a potato and listen to or watch something that doesn’t require much thought.

You could learn something new, and for free, on Youtube or a podcast, but there are also websites where you can pay to take a course - in creative writing, cooking, history, whatever your heart desires.

#Nature

Go outside. Take your dog for a walk. Go for a stroll along the river. Get out of your head a bit. It does wonders for your health. There have been so many times where I have felt sluggish, uncreative, and lazy, and I decided to go for an hour walk and voila! I’m ready to take on the world.

I think it’s important to spend time outside every single day if you can.

Productivity & Relaxation

Know how to find an equilibrium between doing what needs to be done and finding time to relax as well. I know this one is pretty obvious, but sometimes it’s hard to find that sweet spot. Some people are workaholics, and like to be go-go-go at all times, but then, they inevitably burnout. And others find it difficult to find the motivation to be productive.

I’m happy to say that I’ve become quite the pro at this one, and a tip that I have for somebody that might struggle with it would be to get a planner (like a super cute one from Chapters or online) and plan out your days, and even include time to relax. Seeing how your day is going to pan out on paper helps to get a visualization of how that productivity/relaxation balance is going to pan out.

So, there you have it. A few simple little tips that I would recommend starting to incorporate into your day-to-day life if you feel a little bit off center lately.

XOXO,

Ally