Silk Top // Skinny Jeans // Day Heels (so comfy you can wear them all day!) // purse // tassel earrings (similar, on sale!) // necklace 

Well, it’s been officially 8 months since we all made New Years resolutions, and to be honest – I’ve mostly forgotten about all the big changes I vowed I would make this year. Truly, that’s always part of the New Years resolutions rite of passage: making big goals, keeping them for a few weeks, and then trying to remember them the subsequent months to get yourself back in the swing of things. It only took me a handful of minutes to remember mine when thinking on it a few weeks ago – oops!

My 2018 resolution was about finding more balance, and in some ways I’ve gotten better at it, and in other ways it’s gotten a little worse. In the past few weeks especially, I’ve been feeling like everything is slipping through the cracks, and no matter how hard I try I feel like I’m behind – whether it’s in life, my laundry, picking up my prescriptions, paying bills, getting my to-do list done, emailing back, being on top of work, being a good friend….the list goes on and on. And truthfully, I’m exhausted and most days on the verge of tears for some reason I can’t quite put my finger on. It seems my New Years resolution has essentially gone out the window and I’m just trying to get by these days. Clearly, I need to get a little more balance (and sanity) back into my life pronto!

There’s this perception that your life is best when you’re firing on all cylinders, and while I’m sure that’s true for those magical people who have all the time in the world – all cylinders isn’t really possible for most of us who are balancing a million things at a time. I read an article about the seven dimensions of happiness (it wasn’t from that janky site, but you get the idea), and the article explained how you need a balance of all these 7 areas all to have a happy, well-balanced life. But honestly, seven things at all times (including working out, feeling close to friends and family, feeling fulfilled in your job (the list goes on…)) – who has time for seven things in an average day or week?! I’m usually right around the 2-3 range if I’m lucky, and maybe I can add one more to the list when it’s the weekend and I’m attempting to unplug from work… So how do you find a little more balance when you don’t have time to Namaste and call every family member on a weekly basis? Here’s what I’m attempting to go from losing my mind to at least feeling a little less crazed:

• Putting down my freaking phone: Left to my own devices, I could watch Instagram stories for hours when unsupervised – so I’m attempting to break up with my phone a little more. I downloaded “Moment” from the App Store that tells you how much time you’ve spent on your phone throughout the door, and honestly – it’s shameful when you start keeping track. It’s hard since I’m on my phone so much for work, but I’m attempting to put it down in the morning and evening to better focus on my to-do lists.
• Setting a timer: You know when your mom used to set a timer when you were teeny tiny for you to do your chores or practice piano? I’ve been setting an alarm for an hour every day when I get home to get to the task at hand – whether it’s cleaning my apartment, doing my laundry, or attempting to knock out my to-do list. Turns out that when you know you only have an hour, you’re a lot more productive than normal 🙂
• Being Kinder to myself: When it comes to finding balance, I’m usually the one who’s hardest on myself, rather than the people around me. I focus on the things I didn’t get done or couldn’t do, the workouts I missed, or the plans that fell through rather than the laundry list of things I actually did accomplish (including laundry!). I’m sure you’re in the same boat too, so keep reminding yourself to be kind and patient with yourself as you’re striving to keep it all together.
• Not apologizing so much: Almost every email I sent out these days from my personal or blog email starts with, “Hi (name)! So sorry for the delay in getting back to you!”. And honestly, I am disappointed when I don’t respond in a day – but when you’re trying to find more balance, you have to ease up on your expectations. I’m trying to say “sorry” less, and respond whenever I can – and set an alarm for the days where I don’t have all the time in the world to get back to everyone.
• Eat the pie, drink the matcha: If life’s all about balance – don’t forget to indulge in the little things too! I’ve been hard on myself on my waistline these days (I know, I need to stop being such a jerk…), and rather than depriving myself, I’m trying to find more balance in what I eat too. If I want a slice of Bang Bang Key Lime pie (the best, by the way) I’ll try to eat a salad for dinner and erase my guilt. Life’s too short to not go for the pie….

Those are just a few things I’m working on, and I’m trying not to add too much so I don’t stress myself even more in the process of finding a little more balance 🙂 Are you feeling under the gun too these days? I’d love to know how you’re adding a little more balance to your life and any tips you can share with the class! xx