A healthy, well-balanced life is possible
Dear Fearless Love,
I am a single mom raising three kids whose ages range from 8 to 15. Although, I enjoy what I do, I work long hours. When home, I focus on my children. My kids want to see me happy and would like for me to date, but with their busy schedules and house projects, I don’t have any time left. I’d also like to shed a few pounds before I am ready, anyway. This all seems overwhelming; I don’t know how to manage it all! How do I find time for me? ~Helena
Dear Helena,
It seems that what you seek is a healthy well-balanced life, a tall order for today as a single mom. We are continuously flooded with information, social media and decision-making activities, all of which keep stress levels high. However, having balance in our lives is vital for our happiness and well-being and increases our ability to focus attention and energy on attaining our goals.
Currently your energy is externally focused and lacking a clear direction. It’s important to have a map of where you are going. It is just as important to harness some energy internally for yourself.
Here are five simple steps on how to have a well-balanced life:
1. Create a plan of what you want to achieve. What are your objectives and goals at home? For work? For your personal life? Write down your goals for each category.
2. Having boundaries is cool. Preserve your creativity and best energy to accomplish your work. Bracket times to engage in social media, to return calls and to respond to emails when you have less energy. Get comfortable with saying “no” to people and tasks that don’t line up to your desired goals or don’t add value to your life.
3. Treating yourself by hiring support is just as cool. Hire a cleaning service to clean your home, organize the closets, and complete the projects around the house. How about a virtual assistant? There are several online companies that provide virtual assistance and the best part is they don’t have to break the piggy bank. They can manage both your work and social calendar, set doctor’s appointments, send thank you notes, make travel arrangements, research and even shop for you. How about a relationship coach, personal trainer or nutrition coach? Decorator or chauffer? The possibilities are endless. You don’t have to do it alone and many of these services are negotiable to satisfy your budget.
4. Prioritize rest. Use this time to meditate, pray, read, nap, listen to music, do yoga, take a bubble bath or engage in any self-care activity. This is your daily “me time” to replenish and reconnect with yourself.
5. Love. Learn to give and receive love. Take care of your physical, emotional and spiritual health. It’s an expression of self-love. Share quality time with your family and friends. A healthy well-balanced life is about finding a rhythm of work-love-play-rest. As you tap into your rhythm you will feel more grounded, clear-headed, motivated and feel empowered to lose those extra pounds. You will hit the town feeling and looking your best. Don’t forget to have fun and be patient with yourself!
