Her Unique Glow

Questions answered: What is balance?

Balance is a theme and common trend that I see time and time again.

• I get so many questions around the topic of balance:
• How do I achieve balance?
• What is balance?
• What is a balanced diet?
• How do I create a good work/life balance?

There are no rules

First and foremost – when it comes to balance there are NO set rules. Everything in life is bio-individual and that includes BALANCE. Yes, you heard me, balance is bio-individual as well!

Balance is all about finding what works for you so that you can feel truly nourished in all areas of your life.

That means that you need to stop looking for the next bit of advice and just start doing! Start experimenting and see what works for you. Just because one technique works for someone else, does not mean that it is going to work for you.

Achieving balance is meant to make your life EASIER, not more stressful. If establishing a morning/evening routine doesn’t work for you then don’t do it! If working out in your lunch hour (just so you can get that extra workout in) is too much, then stop pressurising yourself to do it. The only way you will know what works for you in the area of balance, is by actually giving things a go – only then, do you know if something is going to help you or hinder you. Theories and tips may look great written down, or when someone shares their advice with you, but putting it into practise can be a whole different story – so don’t feel afraid to give things a go and see for yourself.

What does balance mean to you?

As with anything that is bio-individual, it’s important to establish what balance looks like to you. Ask yourself these questions:

• What do I need to balance in my life?
• On a scale of 1-10 how satisfied with the area of balance am I?
• What areas of my life do I feel need more balance?
• What does balance look like to me?
• What would the ‘ideal’ image of balance look like?

These are just some starting questions to get you going, but the more you ask yourself, the more questions might pop up. Start exploring this area of primary food (the food that feeds us in life) and work out where you’re thriving and where you’re lacking.

Once you know what balance looks like to you in your life, you’ll be able to note down where you need to improve and what’s already working for you.

In short, you’ll be able to set out action steps to create the inspired changes you want to see in your life.

It’s about being healthy AND happy at the same time

There is so much going round on social media at the moment about ‘balance’ and people are getting caught up on it and it has almost become a pressure. There seems to be this pressure to be ‘healthy’ and that everyone is looking to ‘balance’ as though it’s an ingredient that is going to help you in being healthy. Yes, achieving balance in your life will allow for healthier, sustainable and consistent habits – BUT, being healthy is also about being HAPPY. I feel as though people have almost lost the concept of what being truly healthy is and that in order to be healthy, you have to feel completely nourished in every way and that INCLUDES your happiness.

Balance is being happy and healthy at the same time.

Balance isn’t about putting pressure on yourself to be a certain way, do certain things, achieve certain goals or establish certain routines. Like I said before, balance is completely unique to you and only by taking inspired action will you find out what works for you.

Don’t put pressure on yourself to achieve balance. Balance isn’t a goal, it’s forever evolving and changing, so change your focus to being HEALTHY and HAPPY at the same time.

How healthy are your relationships?

Now, I’m not just talking about your relationships with other beautiful humans. I’m also talking about the relationships you have with everything in your life from your food to your finances. Finding balance is all about creating healthy and sustainable relationships with everything in your life.

If you know that you have an unhealthy relationship in your life then that’s a great place to start. If you want to have a balanced life, that means healing all those relationships that need that attention. Sometimes, if we’re out of alignment in a certain area of our life, it’s not that we’re not trying hard enough or not putting the work in, sometimes it’s because we have such an unhealthy relationship with that area and that’s why we’re struggling to solve that problem.

Tackle all of those unhealthy relationships first.

Go back to basics and figure out what works for you as an individual – once you have done that, then it’s time to work on balance. You might even find that healing all of your unhealthy relationships might actually help you find balance without even trying!

Get comfortable

Balance is about nourishing every part of your life in a sustainable way and the only way you can do that is by creating a lifestyle that you are comfortable with.

You need a lifestyle that compliments who you are as a person.

That’s why there is no point following someone else’s blueprint when it comes to balance because it has to fit in with your life as an individual. Get comfortable with the food you eat, with what you drink, with your career, with your finances, with your relationships and with the life you lead. Once you have found your comfort level in every area of your life, you’ll be able to create a lifestyle that compliments all of that and be on the way to achieving balance that not only works for you but that is sustainable as well.

Life is meant to be enjoyed

Enjoy your life. Whatever that enjoyment looks like to you. Don’t limit yourself to living a life that you ‘believe’ you should just because that’s the life people have guided you towards or a life that you have seen someone else lead.

It can be confusing, trying to find what balance means to you when there are so many options out there and so many ways of doing things. Turn inwards and ask yourself:

'What do I want?'

Stop living the life you believe you should and start living the life you want for yourself. Don’t be restrictive – whether it’s in your thoughts or behaviours. Don’t be too controlling over any particular area of your life. The thing about balance is that it’s a juggling act involving every part of you as a being. If you’re too controlling in one area of your life, another area might suffer – then it just becomes a constant battle of finding balance. Release that control, let go of those restrictions and put those limiting beliefs to bed. Stop dictating your life by trying to live up to someone else’s standards that don’t align with you. That isn’t healthy and that most certainly isn’t how you’ll find balance.

Don’t be hard on yourself. Be kind and work on healing those areas of your life that need TLC and start thinking of balance being something that is completely unique and individual to you.

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