Keeping Up With A Balanced Life

By Quincy Martel, MA, Life Coach

Keeping up with a balanced life without failing on the way. A big push and a great way to start is a Balanced Life Fitness Retreat. Balance is an important part of having a happy, and healthy life. 

Imagine balance like a pie chart.  Pieces of the chart are filled in with facets of life such as family, recreation, career, spirituality, and self-care.  I hear more than often, unique life stories in my office every day. 

Unique as every individual is, there appears to be a common theme…unbalanced lifestyle.  Many guests are so very successful at career, or family, but are lacking and unbalanced in self-care. 

Self-care is an important piece to the balance pie chart, which means..taking care of yourself…mind body, and spirit.  Diet, exercise, stress reduction, and sleep hygiene are self-care measures. Here are some strategies that will help you balance and take care of yourself because you are worth it.

Eat well:  Eating balanced meals throughout the day will give you energy and stave off food cravings.  Eating consistent meals also helps keep the metabolism working. 

Sugar and caffeine often leave you down once the high or boost wears off.  Foods high in salt content dehydrate the brain.  Fatty foods may raise stress hormones such as cortisol and keep them high.

Stay away from high-risk choices and habits. Large consumption of caffeine, smoking cigarettes or marijuana, and alcohol consumption can significantly impact your thinking, feeling, and physical health. Psychoactive drugs may lead to dependence and addiction, which may lead to social and personal problems.

Get moving: Exercise has a laundry list of health benefits. Attending a fitness retreat can be incredibly motivating and it’s always a great push to start. Benefits of exercise include: increased energy, and stamina, elevated mood, increased self-esteem, mental focus, enhanced immune system, decreased risk of heart disease, and reduced depression and anxiety.  

Exercise is the cornerstone of physical fitness while fortifying emotional wellness.  Exercise should be part of a daily routine; it may be difficult to start by worth the investment. 

It may help to get started by making a commitment and following through.  Have a goal, a plan, and get moving.  It also may help to find a workout buddy, join a gym, or participate in adult sports leagues.

Sleep:  You will find this a must for a balanced life. Sleep is important to physical and mental functioning.  Get on a routine with a sleep schedule.  Avoid the high-risk behaviors listed above because they will interact with sleep hygiene. Rest is an important aspect of the body’s ability to recover, immune function, and emotional balance.

Replace negative with positive.

Happiness and health are connected.  Emotional and mental negativity will negatively impact the physical state.  Emotions, stress, anger, resentment, and self-criticism do the body harm and may lead to addictions as a means for poor coping mechanisms. 

Check yourself, an honest personal self-inventory is important to assess yourself and the things that you may want to change.  By using cognitive behavioral strategies such as challenging your self-defeating thoughts, stopping your negative thoughts, and reframing and focusing on positive outcomes. 

Misery loves company so it’s beneficial for emotional and physical self-care to surround yourself with positive people.

Balance is a process that is continuous and takes time, discipline, and commitment.

Join the Talk with Sarah Sventek about healthy habits and how to be on command.Video – Sarah Sventek – Habbits and Desserts

Live In Fitness – Balanced Life Fitness Retreat