So often during our sessions at Fitworks Perfect Posture® while we are working to balance the muscles of our clients’ bodies, they ask us about how to have balance in life. We always tell them the same five things: Social, Physical, Mental, Spiritual, and Economical. If you maintain the balance of these five things in your life, you will live happily. We wanted to share them with you.
- Social: Take care of and nurture yourself socially.
You cannot accomplish a thing if you’re not healthy in mind, body, or spirit. This first suggestion is for your mind.
Nurturing yourself is not only doing things for yourself that you enjoy, but it also includes spending quality time with people who build you up and “recharge your batteries”. You should plan on at least one or two social gatherings per week, just to maintain the balance.
All work and no play really does make you a dull person.
- Physical: Know what your priorities are.
Balance does not mean cramming in every activity possible. Examine your values and decide what’s important to you; then set your boundaries. Depending on what stage you’re at in life, your focus and energies will be different.
Get plenty of rest, exercise and stretch safely, and eat fats, proteins and complex carbohydrates. Try to drop as much sugar as possible and only eat when you are hungry. Do not overeat! We think we can burn our candle at both ends, eat junk food, get very little exercise, and still function adequately. You may be able to get away with this when you’re young, however, at some point, this lifestyle WILL catch up with you if you don’t maintain the balance!
So many people run to the gym to workout, thinking they are doing a great service to their body and their health. One thing no one realizes is that most people are not working out safely. They load joints and end up hurting themselves. We all know at least one person who had a serious injury at the gym: herniated vertebrae or broken bones. Most people only work out the muscles they can see in the mirror or do the most popular or trending workout. What they don’t know is they are working major muscles and creating musculoskeletal imbalances! That’s right, they are hurting themselves, not helping! Quads and glutes workouts are super popular. Please stop. Seek the help of a professional Physiologist!
“If you do not make time for your wellness, you will be forced to make time for your illness.” Make your wellness a priority! You cannot take care of anyone or anything if you are not well yourself!
- Mental: Create an efficient mindset and positive attitude.
Be organized and plan ahead. Take time at the beginning of each week to assess what needs to be done. Make a to-do list in a planner or calendar for upcoming appointments, impending exams, or meetings to attend.
Begin each day with the intention of making the best and most of it. It may not always go as planned, but it can go more smoothly if you put it into perspective.
You may not have control over what happens to you, but you do have control of how you react to it! Maintain the balance.
Part of living a well-balanced life is learning how to deal with adversity, unforeseen events, and uncertainty. If you practice not letting things get to you, you will learn to live a well-balanced and less stressful life; to enjoy the journey.
We can’t anticipate and plan for everything in our lives, but we can decide how, where, and when to concentrate our energies so in the end, it will lead to less stress and a well-balanced life.
- Spiritual: Expect the unexpected.
Rather than getting stressed and upset, learn to roll with the punches when something over which you have no control happens. We’ve all experienced the unexpected. If you accept that anything can happen at any time, it’s less likely it throw you off your stride when it does. Be able to adjust your game plan.
If you believe in a Higher Power, this is the way to help you maintain a calm perspective on life. Everything happens for a reason. Find that reason and learn from it. That is where the growth comes from.
Note also that there are times when achieving balance may not be possible. For instance, you may have a family or career crisis that needs your immediate and undivided attention. It may require an exceptional amount of your time and resources. When that happens, do whatever it takes to get through it and when things go back to normal take time to refresh and rejuvenate yourself. Maintain the balance as much as you can.
Don’t forget to pray.
- Economical: Live within your means.
We all want to live a fun, exciting life. But we cannot possibly maintain that type of lifestyle- unless you happen to be a billionaire. So, we must balance our spending to go along with our paychecks.
Grandpa Rumel used to say, “The rich man is the man who is paid for.”
He is 100% correct. Don’t load your credit cards full. If you want something, save for it. Budget for it. Learn to live within your means! That means you don’t pay out more than you bring in. It’s a simple concept lost to many, nowadays.
Living within your means also helps with #3. By spending appropriately, you won’t worry about how you’re going to pay all those bills. No lost sleep, better health, and state of mind! Maintain the balance in your bank account at all times!
These 5 little things are all tied to one another. Did you notice that? Balance your life and you will be able to accomplish anything you desire!