Being Your Best You: Balance

Balance is such a tricky thing, isn't it?

If you're anything like me, you want a mixture of the following things in your life:

:: Do well in your job and make all the money

:: Have great relationships with friends/family/significant others/pets

:: Eat right and get/stay in good shape

:: Make people laugh everyday

:: Perfect hair / nails / wardrobe / accessories

:: Indulgence and entertainment

:: Relaxation and binge-watching Netflix sessions

:: Blog & read all the blogs.

:: Happiness

There's more, but I think you see my point. 

You want it all. 

But doesn't having it all sound a little bit exhausting? 

I've always been a do-it-all-or-die lonely kind of person. I sit on the Type-A side of the fence, but I think you knew that about me from my tales of running 100 miles a month for 4 years, three college degrees in 4 years, writing two blogs, working a high-profile job, stressing over things I can't control. 

Those are all sad examples of the way I've always been hungry for "more". 

Over the past year I've learned the valuable lesson that doing "more" doesn't make me a better person. It makes me tired. It makes me a worse friend. It empties my tank and takes away the opportunities that I have in front of me to become my BEST me. 

The important lesson I've learned is that balance makes me the best me.

Balance is different for everyone, but for me it boils down to filling my world with the things that I feel are important to my overall physical, mental and spiritual health and happiness. 

:: Filling the tank

:: Laughing

:: Making time for myself

:: Working smarter

:: Asking for help when I need it

:: Finding the good

:: Exercising

:: Connecting

:: Dancing

:: Smiling

:: Saying "No" and meaning it. 

I feel that last one is the most important to me in terms of achieving balance - with the amazing part about saying "no" is that I've mostly only had to say it to myself. Not so scary after all. 

Pretty awesome concept isn't it?

What do you do to create some normalcy and balance in your healthy and beautiful life? 

Chelsea, Rebecca and I would love to hear from you both in the comments and the July Challenge link-up!

Don't forget, there's more opportunities to join the link-up each Thursday in July!

July 17: Energy 

What gets you going when the tank is running on empty? Share what kicks your energy levels into high gear. 

July 24: Strength

This week is all about health and fitness. Share your favorite workouts, tips, tricks, and ways to reach your peak strength. 

July 31: Total Package 

With this being the end of the month and the last day of the link-up, share with us how you define being the BEST version of you. Get creative; anything is fair game here!