Camille Coton, Daily Life, Well Being
How to Have Balance (even when you’re not yoga-ing)
What is a balanced life? The term “balance” most likely means different things to different people. To some, it’s having enough time for hobbies alongside a work schedule. To others, it is being able to pursue multiple interests at once. And to still others, it is about making time for family, friends, and the occasional weekend brunch in the hectic noise of our busy lives.
Whatever it means to you, achieving balance really is possible.
I know it seems idealistic and unattainable. If you’re like me, you’re probably thinking about all of the things you should be making time for: reading that great book, cooking a fabulous dinner, and of course, creating that adorable craft you saw on Pinterest. Each of these activities is great, but beating yourself up because you didn’t get around to it is not worth it. Take a moment and ask yourself how you really want to be spending your time. What are your priorities? Do your daily activities line up with the things that you see as important in life? If not, keep reading and let us help.
One of the most powerful words you can use in life is, simply, “No.”
It’s okay to say no to things in order to focus on and make time for what is valuable to you. A trick of successful people is not overextending themselves. Be aware of your limits, embrace them, and do not criticize yourself for not doing enough. The problem with trying to do enough is that it’s impossible. As we learned from Mean Girls, the limit does not exist! It’s never enough. You’ll spend an infinite amount of time and energy trying to feel like you accomplished enough. Another problem is that our feelings can be fickle. One day they say, sure, Netflix is okay. The next they say, nope, must read or bake or craft because if I don’t, I’ll feel guilty. Avoiding guilt should never be your motivation. Do things because you want to do them, end of story!
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not advocating laziness.
I’m just reminding whoever is reading this that there are big benefits to designing your life in such a way that minimizes the pressure you put on yourself. Take a deep breath, remember that you already are enough and you already do enough. Your worth in this world is so much greater than how many workout classes you hit each week or how often you keep fresh flowers in the house. And finally, remember to say “No” to a few things in order to say “Yes” to the things that are really important to you.