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If you’re as busy as I am, then I know that finding the perfect balance for all aspects of your life is almost impossible. Between work, the kids, the bills, and all the other stress-related factors you may have on your plate, you may feel like you’re on the edge of sanity. Finding balance and managing stress can often feel like an uphill battle, but, sometimes just a little change can make a big difference.
These changes may not be easy for everyone; they certainly weren’t for me. But over time (years and years), I was able to maintain a few solid habits that impacted my life greatly. I learned many of these from books, I’m a big reader and research is like my superpower (not really, but that’s how I feel). The rest is pure life experience and you won’t learn that from any book. It’s all up to you.
In this blog post, I’ll go over a few things I’ve learned to help cultivate habits in key areas such as health and fitness, fun activities, finances, and personal growth. I’m no expert here, so please seek out professional advice if needed. However, I hope you can at least find some part of this post useful which may be just the spark you need to get started.
HEALTH AND FITNESS:
I feel like I’ve been on a health and fitness journey my entire life and let me tell you, it wasn’t all peaches. I won’t even go into all the diets and programs I have tried throughout my entire life. I felt some additional stress recently when I had to cancel my gym membership to balance our budget a little better after being laid off from a job I’ve had for over 5 years. Even with all that happening, maintaining my habits helped with balancing my stress levels a great deal. These are just a few things that helped:
1: I start every day by stretching for 5-10 minutes. I like to follow along because my attention span is absolute trash at times, so I find a video on YouTube most days to get started. Set some goals and stick to it. I try to get 6000 steps every single day whether that’s walking at the park or using my stepper. That accomplishment never fails to boost my confidence. Get a workout in to also boost those endorphins for that happy juice, your body will thank you. If you’re more comfortable working out at home, then find you some workout equipment you like and get started. You can check out some of my favorites here.
2: Get that meal plan going. I can’t live without meal prep. I plan out eighty percent of our meals. I do leave some room to be flexible because sometimes unpredictable things happen and there’s nothing you can do about that. This is also great for tracking nutrition and maintaining a diet. Plus, you may just save some coins along the way.
3: Be kind to yourself. Dedicate some time each day to reflect on what you’re doing. Whether that’s journaling, meditation, or other mindful practices. Try to stay present in yourself and know that Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither were you. Again, setting goals is the first step to creating a plan which will ultimately lead to action and then your accomplishments. There are no fairies in real life, so we have to create our magic. Get a journal to begin with, or any other resources you feel will benefit you. I’m never without a journal or a notebook. Here are a few of my go-to essentials for mindfulness practices.
FIND TIME FOR SOME FUN
One of my favorite things to do is read. It’s more of a lifestyle than a hobby, to be honest, I even go so far as to take pictures of my books. Trying to find time to do the little things you love isn’t always easy, but if you can’t do it alone, bring the family along and try at least one of these activities a few times a week.
1: Get some downtime. Find yourself a hobby that you love. If you’re not sure what you like, try as many as you can to find something you like. We all need a little downtime, whether that’s going to the movies, having a game night or reading a good book. I love little DIY projects and writing poetry, which I share very secretively on TikTok.
2: Connect with nature. Now that the weather has been crawling towards summer, I’ve been making time for picnics in the park and I’ll bring any food we have available. We’ve had everything from five-course meals to bread and cheese. A walk in the park also never fails to help me clear my head. Being outdoors can be a huge mood booster, plus think of how happy your body will be with a little extra vitamin D.
3: Get creative. Step out of your comfort zone and explore new activities. Try learning a new skill, a new sport or visiting a new place. We love to check out historical landmarks in our area just to get a glimpse into a history that is slowly fading. There’s always a sense of wonder when you see something new. And, maybe our excitement won’t be as exaggerated as when we were kids, but, the novelty of a new experience can add some excitement- however brief, to life.
Finances:
I feel like getting the finances in order is always a work in progress. The best thing you can do is to start with what you know, and what you have. Also, use any and all resources available to you. Your bank can provide a financial advisor, and, if your employer provides an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), then they’ll likely have resources available for you here as well. But first, let’s try these 3 things.
1: Create a budget: Take control of your finances by creating a realistic budget that aligns with your financial goals and priorities. Track your income and expenses every step of the way. If you think you can cut back on some things, do it, don’t second guess it. We have been cable-free for over 7 years now and our subscriptions for entertainment purposes (eg. Netflix, Hulu) is a third of what our cable bill used to be. We do allocate funds for flexible spending, but draw a clear line for some things.
2: Practice mindful spending: Adopt mindful spending habits by being intentional about your purchases and avoiding impulse buys. If you’ve ever been grocery shopping without a list, then you know exactly how that works. Anything that looks remotely edible goes into the cart, whether I need it or not. It all goes back to making sure your actions align with your goals and your budget. Things are way too expensive these days for us to be wasteful.
3: Build an emergency fund: Set aside a portion of your income each month to build an emergency fund for unexpected expenses or financial emergencies. I hate to say this, but nothing is guaranteed. I surely didn’t see myself getting laid off when I did. I’m sure many of you have been in a situation where you needed money that just wasn’t there. Having that safety net can provide some peace of mind.
Personal Growth:
You’re never too old to learn, to change, and to grow. We are in a continuous cycle of living day to day, but those days are never the same. Each breath is different, each step is a little bit longer or shorter and our knowledge is forever growing. I like to find some time for self-reflection, usually with journaling and meditating. I also read self-help books like my life depends on it. It all leads back to forming great habits and maintaining them to see the changes you want.
1: Set personal development goals: Identify areas of personal growth and set specific, achievable goals to enhance your skills, knowledge, and self-awareness. Whether it’s learning a new language (I’ve been trying Korean for BTS and the Kdrama, lol), developing a new hobby, or practicing self-reflection, prioritize continuous self-improvement.
2: Get Some Feedback: Look, not everyone will have the same needs and goals as you do. But learning how others experience the same things you are doing can provide some valuable insight and maybe even some motivation. Take the feedback, good or bad, and then decide how you will use it. Embrace constructive criticism as an opportunity for growth and self-discovery. Knowing how to do something and actively doing it are completely different things so don’t shy away from learning as you go.
3: Practice self-care: Prioritize self-care activities that nurture your physical, emotional, and mental well-being. I try to apply this to every single part of my life even when tits go sideways and life seems to want to use me as a piñata. It can be anything you need to feel a bit more settled. Whether it’s getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, or practicing mindfulness, make self-care a non-negotiable part of your routine. I’m also a huge introvert so I do a lot of my self-care in the comfort of my own home. Here are some budget-friendly ideas, or you can create your own.
Even though these steps aren’t exhausted by any means, I hope that by incorporating these actionable steps into your daily routine, you can cultivate healthy habits across various aspects of your life and create a more balanced and stress-free existence. Remember, small changes can make a big difference, so start with one area at a time and gradually build momentum. Find the thing that sets off even the tiniest spark and light that thing up!
Nice I will try to add a few budget ideas into my life