Balance. A balance between work and play, company and solitude, rest and activity. We work hard to create a balance. This often includes fulfilling work that uses our talents and skills to the fullest, healthy relationships, friendships and social life, good health, recreation and rest.

These are wonderful things indeed and provide us with a balanced life. Balanced living is important and makes living more fun and enjoyable. Are you having difficulty creating these things in your life? Many of us are because balanced life is not a balanced YOU! One cannot exist without the other.

A balanced life is all about the external things. A balanced you is about the internal things. Your life is a reflection of what is going in inside of you so if you aren’t balanced, your life won’t be either.

How do you know if you are not balanced? Are you depressed? Do you cry more often? Maybe a little more anxious than usual? More tense? Are you set of more easily? Not sleeping well? Are you physically, mentally and/or emotionally exhausted? Eating more junk food, drinking more alcohol, smoking more cigarettes? These are a few clues that you are out of balance.

Here’s some ways to create a balanced you:

1.  Do more self care. Eat better, sleep more, have more fun, incorporate 10 minutes of quiet time daily. Don’t neglect your health and get regular check ups. Stop making excuses about how you don’t have enough time or money. You can’t afford not to.

2. Let go of toxic people in your life. Value yourself enough to not be held hostage by energy vampires, martyrs or people who cause you stress, anxiety and/or sadness on a regular basis. And if someone isn’t trustworthy, get rid of them. Period.

3. This one is big: Give yourself permission to take a half day, full day, or better a weekend to do absolutely nothing. Don’t have any obligations or responsibilities. Do only what you want, when you want. Drive a few hours to a different city and stay the night. Completely disconnect and detach. Of course if you have a family you’ll need to make some arrangements but don’t let that stop you. By giving yourself a window of time to disconnect, you wont feel so guilty about it because you know you will be right back into life soon enough.

Create a balanced you. Balance your internal wiring and reconnect with your natural state of being. You cannot have a balanced life without a balanced you. No more excuses. Now get going!