Image by Felipe Neves

Balanced living starts with a desire. A desire to live fully, a desire to fit everything into your schedule without feeling overwhelmed, a desire to enjoy your life without being selfish or forgetting about your loved one or a desire to be healthy without turning into a health-freak. What is a desire that has started your journey towards balance?

No matter how strong that desire for balance is sometimes all of us feel that we have lost the inspiration. Even though we have a desire we cannot find any practical ways to turn that desire into reality. No matter what we do we can’t find that inner balance that almost seems illusive and unreal. Have you been there? I have, and I want to share with you my way to get inspired for balanced living.

I find inspiration in people around me. Yes, it is that simple. There is no need to re-invent the wheel because there are always people around us who have managed to find balance in a particular area of their lives or who have already found the best solution for the predicament you are facing right now.

I do not know about you, but I often read about being mindful and finding miracles around me. It can be a new flower that has just started blooming in your yard, the mysterious way an ugly caterpillar (I am sorry, I have deep issues with crawling creatures) turns into a butterfly, a rainbow in the sky or any other natural miracle. However, I do not often hear about the miracle of people. Some people live such amazing lives that being around them is already a blessing and learning from them can be the biggest inspiration to live a balanced life.

The person who can inspire you can be your neighbor or your relative, a celebrity (I can’t say that I have many of those on my list though), a world-renowned scientist or a fellow-blogger. This person might be your friend or somebody you have never met before. As long as you can see a spark of miracle in that person, this person can be your biggest inspiration and your teacher.

Whenever I feel that I need a piece of advice I think of the people who inspire me and think “What would they do in a situation like this?” This technique helps me to look at my life through the eyes of a different person and it helps me to see what habits or what attitude I should develop in order to cope with this situation. Whenever you feel like you are stuck and you do not know how to live in balance, look at the people around you and learn from them. Be grateful for the people you meet in life or the people who you can learn from. Use every opportunity to grow and make your life a truly balanced one.

I want to share with you a few people who always inspire me and the lessons that I have learned from them.

1. My mom. My mom has always been a role-model for me in many areas of life. I am constantly learning from her how to be a balanced mom who is also a friend to her children. Another area where she is a big inspiration for me is health and eating habits. Whenever I want to eat a second piece of a cake I think of my mom and how she always knows when it is time to stop.
2. Darren Rowse. Darren has been an inspiration for me ever since I read my first article at Problogger.net and discovered that he also does a lot of Ministering work. Don’t take me wrong, but I think that religion is not the most popular thing online right now. I am a Christian and I use my faith as my core belief in life. People who manage to balance a successful business with deep moral values are always an inspiration for me that is why Darren is a wonderful and inspiring person in my opinion. As a work-from-home dad he also has a lot of tips to share about balancing his family and his work.
3. My Pilates clients. I am always amazed at people who manage to find time to take care of their bodies and to try something new no matter how old they are or how much time they have. Some of the ladies who come to the studio are 70 years old but they look like they are in their mid fifties. These people do not make their age a measure that identifies what they can or cannot do in life. This is the type of person I want to be when I get to their age. It’s inspiring!
4. Mary Jaksch. If you do not know she is the author behind GoodLifeZen, an editor of WriteToDone and a co-creator of A-List Blogging Bootcamps. What amazes and inspires me about Mary are her courage and an open mind. She is an example that it is never too late to try something new and become successful at it (you can read Mary’s story of how she became an online success in less than two years.) She is also a woman who is following her passion in life and that passion brings peace and serenity to many people around her.
5. Maggie (this is not a real name.) A few months ago I got to know a wonderful woman. She is like a bright ball of positive energy. You would never guess that she is in remission after being treated for Leukemia. Her husband died of cancer when her 4 kids where just teenagers and she had to raise them all by herself. When I asked her how she did it, she said “We all have choice in life. I just choose to be happy no matter what happens and this positive attitude gets me through everything in life.” I hope I can have as much wisdom and strength as she does.

There are many more people who we can learn from. I am sure that all of you, readers of this blog, are absolutely wonderful too and I can learn a lot from you and we can all learn from each other. I am asking you to look around and notice amazing people around you. Learn from them, let them inspire you, let them teach you, ask them for advice if you can and let these people be your guiding stars in your journey towards life balance.

Keep it balanced!

Image by Brandon Christopher Warren

The process of growing as a person is fascinating and it does not matter how old you are to start this journey. I have started my journey when I was 22 and the changes that have happened in my life are tremendous! I think that the path of self improvement, spirituality and faith is what drives me through life and helps me be a better person.

OK, that was a long rant about the importance of self improvement (I am pretty sure that you agree with me if you like reading blogs :-)) Now, would you believe me if I said that there is a single resource that can help you achieve anything in life? This is a very strong claim! Actually when I got an email from Jason Harvey(do not forget to check out his blog) asking me if I was interested in reviewing his book Achieve Anything in Just One Year I was a little skeptical about it. I guess I agreed to look at the book more from curiosity rather than a belief that it could really do that much. Boy, was I wrong!

Even if you do not like book reviews, stick around and read Jason’s interview because he has really great tips to share with all of us. In the meantime I want to say a few words about the book. It is a really great one! The book is divided into 365 chapters (each chapter is page-long and it contains a motivational quote and a lesson). You can go day after day or you can open the book whenever you want to and read a few pages that will help you focus on important areas in your life.

I must say that I haven’t gone through 365 days yet (I am about 30 days into the book) and I am learning a lot. Jason’s approach is very balanced. You do not have to spend much time reading and you do not have to follow a particular plan. You just flow with it and incorporate his tips into your life naturally.

Who is this book good for?

• Anyone who wants to reach their goals
• People who value their time
• Anyone who is looking for meaning in their life
• Someone who is ready to make changes and grow
• Anyone looking for a more balanced approach to life.

Let’s see what Jason has to say about his book and life balance. Do not forget to ask him questions in the comments below.

1. Jason, in your book you promise that your readers can achieve anything in just one year. How is it possible? Did you have to change your life in order to reach your goals?

Great question Anastasiya. There are a few things that are involved, first you need to do a bit of self examination and figure out what it is that you want to achieve and why. For example, if you have a goal to sail around the World and the thing that brings you the most joy in your life is spending time with friends and family then I would say you really need to go back and re-examine what you want to achieve and why. Next you need to write your goals down; along with what you are going to do to reach these goals. Putting your goals and action plan to paper is a very powerful thing. Our subconscious mind is always working, and when you write things down you put these thoughts into your subconscious. Finally you will need to take action, this is the key. You must do something, you must take action. When you take action toward your goal each and every day anything is possible.

For myself: in the past one of the things that I struggled with was being consistent with my actions. I would try to fit in the actions needed to achieve my goals after I completed everything else that I thought I had to do that day. This led me to skip a lot of days due to lack of time. This lack of consistency led me to fail. When I finally realized the power of being consistent I was able to achieve so much. I know that some people reading this might think that this seems a little simplistic or even a little boring. Well maybe they are right, but achieving your goals does not have to be complicated.

2. Your book is divided into 365 chapters. If you had to give your readers advice for only one day, the most important day, what would it be?

I would have to go with Day 362, which is about remembering to enjoy the everyday experiences of life. Sometimes you can get caught up in the excitement of working to achieve a goal and not take the time to have fun along the way. For example, if you are working on a fitness goal that involves spending one hour a day in a gym, you should take the time to meet some of the people who are at the gym. This will not only make going to the gym more enjoyable but you will also make some new friends along the way.

3. What do you think about life balance? What is it in your opinion and do you have it in your life?

I feel life balance is very important, it is something I am very mindful of everyday. I define life balance as aligning your health, relationships and work life in a way that makes you happy. That said I think it is a very individual matter, you need to figure out for yourself what the perfect balance is. Fortunately I do have a life balance that brings me great joy in my life. However this was not always the case.

4. What is (was) the most difficult part of your life to bring in balance? How did you manage to do that?

I was a workaholic and this meant that my health and personal relationships came a distance second to my business. This was a difficult thing to change, I was self employed and I thoroughly enjoyed running my business. But over time I began to realize that I was not that happy doing what I was doing every day. I managed to change due to my knowledge of personal development. By this I mean that I was aware of the concept of life balance. From there I made a conscious decision to take the actions needed to rebalance my life in a way that would make me happier.

5. What are your three most successful habits in life that help you accomplish your goals?

1.) Journaling
2.) Reading
3.) Consistency

6. Jason, please, give us your advice on how to always feel inspired to reach for the dreams in life and to live every day meaningfully.

This is somewhat of a catch 22. First you need a plan on how to reach your dreams, then you need to take action. The process of taking action to accompany your dreams will in turn inspire you to get up each day and feel ready to take on the world. Of course the inverse is also true, if you have no defined plans or even dreams at all it will be very difficult to get up and feel inspired to take on the day.

Thank you, Jason!

If you are ready to check out Jason’s book and achieve anything you want in life please click the image to the left or right here.

Keep it balanced!

Image by all-i-oli ( Jordi@photos )

If you are striving for simplicity in life then you probably know everything there is to know about decluttering your work space, your house, your garage, your closet etc. However, one area that needs even more uncluttering efforts is your lifestyle.

All our possessions are just a reflection of our inner self. If you are simple and organized inside then you will not have any problems keeping your desk clutter-free or surviving with just half of your wardrobe. On the other hand, if your thoughts are a mess and your habits are as far from being healthy as a cow is from flying then your house will reflect the exact thing that is going on inside of you.

Cleaning up your lifestyle is an essential part of bringing your life in balance. Get rid of everything you do not need, add something that you are missing and here you go: a perfectly balanced life right in front of you!

1. Clean up your language. Every day we speak, communicate, sometimes yell, cry, whisper, joke, write, read and of course we use language for all these activities. Conversation is a huge part of our lives and while one conversation can cheer you up another one can totally bring you down.
   Our tongue has tremendous power to influence the way we feel, act and live. Pay attention to how you speak. Do you cuss often? Do you often say things you do not really mean? Do you hurt people with your words? Do you hurt yourself with your words?
   Simplify your language by saying only things that you mean and things that matter.
   It is amazing how much more balance you can bring into your life by watching your language:
   • Foul language reminds me of fast food. Almost everyone knows that it is not healthy but some people just keep doing it because they are used to it. Cussing and vulgar language can be acceptable in a variety of settings ranging from locker rooms and bedrooms to situations when you have just dropped an iron on your foot. However, making it part of your daily language simply does not make any sense to me. By learning to control your language you will also learn to control your emotions.
   • You will show respect to your loved ones and learn to handle conflicts better if you just watch what you are saying. I know that sometimes anyone can get a little hot-headed and say something like “I always knew that you are a loser!” “My mama was right; I should have never married you!” “You care only about yourself!” It hurts to hear things like that, especially to hear these things from a person you love. Many couples can enjoy a more balanced relationship simply by learning to control their tongues.
   • Stop using negative generalizations like “I always fail,” “Things never work out for me,” “I can never be a creative person,” “I am just not lucky.” Focus on things that are positive and ignore any remarks that you might hear from people around you. A lot of times you are what you say.
2. Clean up addictions. “Addiction is something bad related to drugs, alcohol, cigarettes or gambling.” Is it what you are thinking? While these addictions definitely have to be cleaned up from your lifestyle there are others that seem harmless at first. It can be Internet, food, TV, video games, work, shopping, you name it! You can identify addictions in your lifestyle if you look at all activities during your day. Is there something that you just have to do and you feel a constant desire to do that? Maybe you’ve heard from your friends or relatives that you spend too much time doing … but you ignore those remarks constantly.
   Addictions tend to suck up your time and money and they leave you feeling empty, low on energy and not satisfied. Be honest with yourself and if you identify signs of addictions in your life make an effort to get rid of them.
3. Clean up priorities. Priorities are a wonderful thing to have but not when you have too many of them. I don’t think they have created a superman or superwoman serum yet, so if you want to feel balanced you need to make your choices. You can’t be a perfect parent, build an amazing career, make tons of money, spend a lot of time with your friends, work out daily at the gym and have enough time for self-growth and hobbies. Some things have to be at the top of your list while others can be left behind (at least for a while.) When you choose the right priorities everything will fall in place and you will feel satisfied with the choices that you make in life.
4. Clean up your diet. What you eat affects how you feel, how much energy you have and how healthy you are (of course!) I believe that a clean diet can benefit both body and soul and bring your mind in balance with your body. Here are a few steps to clean up your diet:
   • no fast-food
   • eliminate highly-processed foods
   • add as much fresh produce as possible
   • go organic if you can afford it
   • read labels (do not buy anything with trans fats (partially hydrogenated oils), high fructose corn syrup or long lists of chemicals that you cannot pronounce)
   • try to cook most of your meals from scratch using only healthy ingredients
   • eliminate sugary drinks and drink as much water as possible.
5. Clean up your goals. Goals are similar to priorities. When there are a couple of goals in different areas of your life you can manage them without sacrificing your sanity. When your lifestyle turns into an endless to-do list then you feel out of control and out of balance. Focus on the things that matter the most right now. Set up a goal and break it down into smaller steps and tackle it just one step at a time. Reevaluate your goals after comparing them with your life priorities.

A well-organized and clean lifestyle is like a perfectly organized house. Living like that is easy, comfortable and enjoyable. It is a huge step to your overall life balance. Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Keep it balanced!

Image by Susanica

If you’ve been following my blog for a while you probably know that I am passionate about healthy living and exercise. I am even more passionate about telling people around me how beneficial healthy lifestyle is and how easy it is to follow it.

One of the ways to bring balance into my lifestyle is Yoga. I’ve been practicing it for a few years now (though I am not a real Yogini) together with Pilates and running. This combination of activities has proved to be the most beneficial for my body because it connects mind and body and lets me find inner serenity while giving me the body that I love. I am a certified fitness and Pilates instructor but Yoga has always been just my hobby.

Recently I have found a new way of doing Yoga. I have started using Prasara Yoga Primer – an online course with 5 Yoga flows (each flow has 3 levels of difficulty and plenty of videos demonstrating transitions and movements.) At first I didn’t know what to expect from these flows, but now I absolutely love them!

Here are 5 things that I love about Prasara Yoga Primer:

1. It is not static. I love movement and Prasara Yoga gives me just that. Each asana flows gracefully into the next one creating a continuous flow that stretches and strengthens your body.
2. It is suitable for any level. The Advanced level is still beyond the horizon for me but I am comfortable with my Beginner level flows right now. If you decide to try Prasara Yoga I would recommend that you look through the manual and learn all the asanas (poses) before trying transitions. The first time I tried transitions I felt like a cow on the skating rink because flows require good coordination (that you will develop if you keep practicing Prasara Yoga).
3. It’s good for cross-training. If you already have your favorite workout (running, cycling, weight-lifting, swimming etc.) then these Yoga flows will maximize your results. It is great to work your body from different angles and challenge it with something you are not familiar with.
4. You get help and support. When you buy Prasara Yoga primer you also get access to the forum where you can ask questions about the practice or share your progress with other members.
5. You can do it anywhere. I am not a big fan of gyms and I love workouts that do not require any equipment and can be done anywhere. All you need to do Prasara Yoga is your computer (or iPod) and a mat.

I have decided to do a short interview with the creators of Prasara Yoga primer Andy Fossett, Jarlo Ilano and Ryan Hurst. Feel free to ask them any questions in the comments below.

1. What is Prasara Yoga? What are the benefits of doing it?

Jarlo: Actually, the development of Prasara yoga is very interesting. Our teacher, Scott Sonnon, has a varied background in Russian health and movement training, as well as martial arts, yoga, and other fitness disciplines. During his explorations, he learned and adapted a variety of “biomechanical exercises” which emphasized dynamic joint and whole body mobility. The focus was less on static positional holds, and more on flowing movement to improve freedom in all degrees of motion. As he studied more yoga, he incorporated the dynamic mobility exercise with the traditional hatha postures, and developed a system that connects the asana in a free flowing, graceful manner. When you view the various flows, you can see that they are both similar and distinctly different from other vinyasa style yoga.

Each flow that is created by the various teachers has a specific focus as well as full body mobility. For example the Cricket Flow, is very good for hip opening and strength, while the Vine Flow emphasizes standing posture and balance with leg mobility. The focus on flowing movement and a specific focus on particular areas (while still maintaining whole body awareness) are two of the great benefits in Prasara.

The dynamic movement appeals to many who don’t enjoy holding the static positions of asana that much, and the specific focus of the flows allow people to choose particular flows for their current goals. With this, we believe that Prasara can help many people to enjoy the benefits of regular yoga practice.

2. What is life balance for you? Does Yoga help you find life balance?

Ryan: Life balance for me means being able to do what I want, when I want, and how I want. And that unfortunately means that I can’t say yes to everyone in my life. When you spread yourself too thin by putting too much on your plate, nothing gets done and you start hating what you are doing. Taking little bites and focusing on that, and solely on that, is much more rewarding than trying to cram it all in. Yoga can help with life balance. But just like anything, when you try to cram too much into your yoga practice you lose that balance. That is why breaking your practice down into smaller chunks and focusing on the meat of your practice will teach balance. And when you can learn to focus on the balance within your yoga practice, it carries over into life balance.

Andy: Life balance is one of those things that didn’t have a name until recently but has become a pretty hot topic. I think the biggest thing to consider is that you have to choose your level of granularity when you talk about balance. I mean, are you trying to balance everything over the course of a single day? Because that would drastically compromise the depth at which you pursued any of your responsibilities or interests. With only 24 hours in a day, the only way to really “get it all in” is to do much of it badly.

And that’s where granularity comes in. You can choose to set aside a certain amount of time for each thing, but what happens when you have to re-prioritize? I believe that real “life balance” occurs over the course of your lifetime. You have to make choices that may seem unbalanced at times. When I have friends visit from other countries, I don’t meditate every day, and I drink more than I should. But then things level off, and I return to my disciplines.

Making space for the things you love doing may mean that truly balancing your activities and time each day is impossible. But you can also balance over the course of a week, or a month, or a year. As long as you are consciously deciding how you spend your time (instead of simply reacting to external forces), you’ll be more balanced that most people. The internal focus you build with Prasara practice helps.

3. Can you remember a story of the most inspiring Yoga student that you have ever had?

Ryan: That’s a tough one because every single person I work with inspires me on a different level. But if I had to give an example it would be the student who comes day after day and never gives up on their daily practice. I’ve seen a lot of very talented people. Those who could just ‘get’ it right away. But it is always those that must work especially hard and with extra diligence on the mat that constantly reminds me of why I am doing yoga. And that inspires me. Achieving a certain pose or movement in Prasara Yoga is impressive. But it is not the pose nor the movement that is truly inspiring. It is the journey, the hard work of daily personal practice that is what inspires. That is where we truly grow and can in turn inspire others I believe.

4. Who is Prasara Yoga for? Is it a workout for regular beginners or is it an enhancement for athletes? Some of the stretches and transitions are quite difficult for a regular beginner. What are your tips to ease into the routine and to stay successful as a student?

Ryan: This might sound cliche, but Prasara Yoga really is for anyone. It is divided up into levels and within those levels broken into parts so that a person of any level can benefit. It can be a workout, a cool down, and even a restorative practice.

Like anything, you shouldn’t just jump into Prasara and expect to be able to do it all. Choose a flow and start with the beginner level. Work on the components of each breakdown and focus on your structure, breathing, and movement. Don’t look at this as a quick fix for something. Take your time getting into your practice and stick with it! Slow and steady.

Andy: Prasara is just a philosophy of movement, so I’m not sure it can really be for or not for a particular kind of person. Either that person practices with flow, or they don’t. There are definite benefits to practicing Prasara for athletes because of the emphasis on movement, but beginners can get a lot out of any the practice too as long as they don’t try to compare their own progress with what they expect others are doing.

Of course, these routines are going to be difficult for beginners. That’s what makes them effective. When you come across something you can’t do, simply look at it as a chance to learn. Approximate the movement to the degree you can without pain. Exhale. Try again. Repeat for a week and note your progress. Rivers don’t make mistakes. Just keep flowing, and eventually you’ll reach the sea.

5. What is your biggest motivation in life? What is your biggest motivation to practice Prasara Yoga?

Ryan: My biggest motivation in life is to keep moving so that I can play with my children and then their children some day! LOL!

I believe that a great teacher must be a living example. To me this means daily personal practice and working just as hard or even harder than those that I instruct. I want to share Prasara with as many people as I can and I feel the best way to do that is by training in a way that allows a person to train their whole life. Prasara is what allows me to do that.

Thank you guys for answering these questions and for creating a wonderful product!

Don’t forget to check out all the features of Prasara Yoga Primer (click here). You can even get a free sample workout to see if Prasara Yoga is for you or now. I hope that this Yoga flow will bring more balance in to your life.

Keep it balanced!

Image by Robert Mölzer

Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.
Albert Einstein

When you are moving through your life you often need more than one resource to keep you in balance. Actually most of the time you will have to change your resources (or tools) because your life keeps changing all the time.

I want to share with you my favorite websites (mostly blogs) that help me find balance and inspiration in life. I must admit that I came up with the idea of this post while I was cleaning my RSS subscriptions (a task that I try to tackle every month. There are so many interesting blogs to read and so little time to do that!)

If you know any websites that help you find your balance, please mention them in the comments below (don’t be shy, you can mention your own website too :-)) and give some reasons why those websites are so great.

I hope that you will enjoy my picks and find some new favorites among them:

Note: These websites are not in a particular order. Number 1 is equally important in my opinion as number 14 or 5.

1. Simple Marriage. I have just recently discovered this blog and I fell in love with it immediately. I think that it is a must-read resource for anyone who is in a serious relationship or is married. Corey Allan writes in a very down-to-earth manner about all building blocks of a strong marriage (and family). Any couple can benefit from Corey’s tips and I am sure that a lot of people can save their marriage by following his advice or going through the marriage counseling courses that Corey also offers on his website. Corey does not only put his life experience into his work, he is also a Marriage and Family Therapist with a Ph.D. in Family Therapy, so he knows what he is talking about. Don’t forget to subscribe for Corey’s FREE marriage courses. There is something for every couple!
2. Dietriffic and Zen to Fitness. I have combined these two websites because both of them give excellent advice about health, fitness, weight loss and nutrition. Dietriffic is written by Melanie Thomassian (a registered dietitian) and it has a lot of soft feminine energy in it. Zentofitness is the home of Chris (a certified Personal Trainer who is currently studying Naturopathic Medicine) and it definitely has a very strong manly emphasis. Of course both of these blogs are wonderful sources of information both for men and women (no place for gender discrimination here). Check both of these websites out to find the right workouts for you and the perfect nutrition plan (I am not a big fan of the word “diet”) that will give you the body and health you have always dreamed about.
3. Productive Flourishing. Productivity can seem a little boring and dull but not when you combine it with Charlie’s creative approach. I can really feel my creative ideas flourishing after I read Charlie’s posts. Charlie also publishes a lot of amazing guest posts on his blog that deliver interesting and useful tips about productivity, creativity and work flow. ProductiveFlourishing is a great place to learn how to turn your big ideas into reality taking just one step at a time.
4. Becoming Minimalist I am not a minimalist but I enjoy simplicity in life. I would never live owning only a hundred things but at the same time I enjoy having only what I need in life. Joshua Becker from Becoming Minimalist shares great advice on how to live a minimalist life. Whether you want to go all the way to minimalistic living or you just want to simplify your life, you can find great tips and advice on this blog. This blog is not only about decluttering your home and learning to live with less in life, it is about seeing beyond “stuff” and finding happiness with little but absolutely amazing things in life.
5. Tiny Buddha This website is just a well of inspiration. If I am looking for a nice quote to inspire me or for a blog post that will bring my thoughts and spirit in balance, this is the blog I am heading straight to. Lori Deschene (the founder of Tiny Buddha) writes amazing articles and creates a warm community for writers and readers. This blog is full of personal stories, inspiring ideas, and simple wisdom that can be applied to our daily life.
6. Simple Mom This is a productivity, creativity, sanity, simplicity and happiness resource for moms (and dads who probably won’t admit that they read a simplemom blog). I love reading this blog especially when I have tough days with my twins because I can always find some advice there. If you a parent then I am sure that you will enjoy this balanced parenting blog.
7. A Beautiful Ripple Effect This blog is beautiful inside and out. Carolyn Rubenstein is the author of Perseverance: True Voices of Cancer Survivors as well as the founder of a non-profit organization for young cancer survivors. Her blog is a collection of personal development articles written with a twist of beauty and sophistication, wonderful images, absolutely awesome e-books and worksheets and flourishing positive energy. The website is so cozy and beautiful that I simply do not want to leave its pages. There is a lot to learn on the pages of A Beautiful Ripple Effect because this blog is written with soul, heart and inspiration.
8. The Daily Brainstorm is a new kid on the block. Actually it is not a single blog, it is a collection of the best posts from the best blogs updated daily (you can find my articles on its pages too). If you want to keep your hand on the pulse of the best articles about health, lifestyle, personal development, spirituality and blogging then you can subscribe to this blog and enjoy a heap of tips and ideas for balanced living.
9. Urban Monk is my new favorite. This blog is a fountain of spiritual inspirations and every-day life lessons. Whether you are having trouble dealing with rude people or you are looking for forgiveness and meaning in life, Urban Monk will give you a great story and a lesson that will motivate and inspire you. I find a lot of balance on the pages of this blog because they breathe with calmness, peace and serenity – qualities that are essential for life balance.

Here are 5 more websites that do not need explanation in my opinion. I have mentioned them quite a few times already and you have probably noticed that they live happily in the footer of my blog.

10. Zen Family Habits
11. Yogatic
12. Happiness Project
13. Zen Habits
14. Good Life Zen

What are your favorite websites that help you find balance and inspiration in life? I think it would be fun for all of us to discover new blogs and ideas. Remember,

Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving (and learning!)
Albert Einstein

Keep it balanced!

Image by No Confies En Nadie… Puede Fallarte

What is temptation? Oh, it can take a lot of forms.

• It can be a piece of cake when you are trying to lose weight.
• It can be that new iPhone when you are trying to stay on a budget.
• It can be the thought of not helping your neighbor of friend when they need you.
• It can be the desire to scream at your child when he/she is misbehaving.
• It can be the feeling of jealousy or revenge that starts creeping into your heart.

Temptations can be innocent (at least that’s how they look at first) or they can be pretty dark and evil (and the temptation grows only stronger when you try to overcome it). There is a quote that can summarize the nature of temptation:

Temptation is the fire that brings up the scum of the heart.
William Shakespeare

Have you experienced temptations in your life? I am not asking you to name them just reflect on what those temptations were and how they made you feel. I am sure that 90% of the time you felt pretty bad after succumbing to those temptations. I know that I did.

Temptation is used mostly in the religious context. It is true that Christianity (as well as other religions) put a lot of emphasis on resisting temptations because they are evil and they lead to sin.

Temptation is the devil looking through the keyhole. Yielding is opening the door and inviting him in.
Billy Sunday

However, even if you are not a religious person temptations will still enter your life. Your response to those temptations will determine the course of your life. Temptation always offers you a choice and only you can make the right decision.

Learning to avoid and overcome temptations in life is the art that can take an entire life to master. There is no one-fit-all rule to avoid temptations and each of us will have to find their own weapon against them. Over the years I have learned a few rules that proved to be really helpful. If you want to bring your life in balance then you can use these rules too to find the strength to resist your temptations.

1. Know your core values.
   

   Nothing makes it easier to resist temptation than a proper bringing-up, a sound set of values - and witnesses.
   Franklin P. Jones

   Your core values are your biggest allies in resisting temptation. Once you have set up your core values you will find strength in them to avoid any temptation. If you care about your family then you will not even think about cheating on your spouse or spending your nights drinking at a nearby bar. If you have strong faith then you will find inner strength to be a good friend and avoid jealousy. If you care about your health then you will be able to avoid the temptation to skip your workouts and to eat greasy and unhealthy foods.

2. Ask others to help you. Fighting your temptations can be difficult but if you let somebody else help you then you can easily overcome them. Another person can remind you of the reasons why you want to resist a temptation and give you a fresh look at the situation.
3. Be prepared. Temptations are not an option that we might or might not have in life. We all will be tempted in one way or another. In fact temptations will actually help you grow and become a better person.
   

   Good habits result from resisting temptation
   Proverb

   If you know your weaknesses then try to plan for the times when you are tempted. Start by developing your core values, discovering beliefs that can get you through anything in life and cultivating good habits.

4. Use faith. This is the strongest technique in resisting temptations. I know that a lot of people reading this article are not religious and I respect their choice and beliefs. However, this is the verse that I go to in the times of temptation. Just think about it:
   

   1 Corinthians 10:13. “But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it.”

5. Refocus. You can change your focus by meditating, praying, getting engaged in a new activity, going for a walk or just spending time with your loved ones. Take your thoughts away from the temptation that is nagging you and the next time that it approaches you will feel less enticed by it.
6. Generate positive experiences. Temptations are so tempting because they offer instant pleasure. Resisting temptation on the other hand is not tempting at all because it feels like depriving yourself of that pleasure. Look for positive experiences around you that will bring you that feeling of pleasure and happiness. When you are tempted to sabotage your healthy diet look for new and fun activities or indulge in a guiltless pleasure (trip to the spa or a long warm bath). Focus on helping others and find pleasure in generosity, kindness and volunteer work. Spend fun time with your family or with your friends. Cultivate mindful experiences in life.
7. Look at the big picture. Temptations usually satisfy our momentary desires and they have nothing to do with our plans and goals in life. If you have a clear vision of your life, if you have your priorities in place and if you know what you want in life then resisting most of those temptations will be easy (at least easier.) Whenever you feel that you are tempted think “If I succumb to this temptation, where will it take me?” “What are the long-term consequences?” “Will I feel happy about it tomorrow, a year from today, 10 years?” Your doubts will dissolve when you realize how momentarily your desire is and how far it will throw you away from your life course.
8. Overcoming a temptation is a victory.
   

   Every moment of resistance to temptation is a victory.
   Frederick William Faber

   Think of yourself as a winner, not a loser in life. As a winner you can definitely win the fight with your temptations.

9. Learn from your mistakes. Even if you manage to resist your temptations 98 times, you might still fail on the 99th attempt. This is normal and there is no need to get obsessed about your failure. Analyze what went wrong, repent (if you are looking at temptation from a religious point of view), ask for forgiveness and forgive yourself, learn from this mistake and don’t make it in the future. Sometimes we have to know how bad it feels to fail in order to be stronger the next time temptation knocks on our door.

At the end I am asking you to think about your life and how you face temptations. Where did your choices lead you in life? Do you feel that you could be in a better position if you resisted some of those temptations? Are you tempted now? Use your life experience to resist any temptation that you will face on your road.

Keep it balanced!

Image by D Sharon Pruitt

Do you remember going to the beach during your summer break when you were a kid? Do you remember hanging out with your friends and having lots of fun? I do remember those days; summer has always been my favorite time of the year.

As we transition into our adult lives we tend to spend less and less time doing things that we love, we don’t get to spend a whole month at the beach and even when we go on a vacation we often bring our work with us (phone calls, emails etc.) Even worse, sometimes we have to skip the vacation completely because of financial issues, the kids are too little to travel, or your spouse didn’t get vacation at the same time you did and so on.

Vacations are crucial to our health, well-being, general satisfaction with life, stress reduction and of course life balance (if you are looking for work/life balance then you can forget about it if you miss out on vacations.) Even if you can’t fit a trip to the beach into your budget this year you can still get all the benefits of a real vacation without leaving your house.

This year my husband and I had to give up our vacation trip but it didn’t stop us from having a great time. If you can’t go anywhere this year, if you can’t take more than a weekend off or if you just want to have the most incredible vacation ever, don’t let anything stop you. Here are 8 frugal and fun vacation ideas. Enjoy!

A word of caution: before you start your at-home vacation you need to get ready for it. Finish any house projects (cleaning, grocery shopping etc.), turn off your business cell and sign out of your email (you can even turn off the Internet router in your house completely), tell your co-workers that you are leaving town so that they don’t have a temptation to call you in case of an emergency.

1. Romantic vacation. Obviously this is a vacation for those who have already met their second half. During this vacation you can go out on as many romantic dates as possible (supper with candles, a walk in the park), you can spend as much time as possible without leaving the house or even your bedroom. If you have kids then of course you have to make arrangements with a babysitter. Do things together, go over your favorite memories (look at your wedding pictures or your video), make a list of things that you value the most in each other and don’t stop showing each other how much you love and care for each other. In our day-to-day life we often forget to be romantic or we simply do not have time for it, use this vacation to reignite the passion in your relationship or to strengthen the bond that you already have.
2. “Me” vacation. If you are single (or your partner can’t have a vacation at the same time with you) then make this week full of things that you enjoy doing. It’s difficult for me to think of what a guy would do during a “me” week (obviously, I am not a guy :-)) but I know of plenty of things for a girl to do. Make an appointment at a nearby spa (massage, facial, manicure, pedicure) or have a spa treatment at home (make some home-made masks and cleansers, watch your favorite movie while you are doing your manicure, take a long bubble bath). Go for a solo walk outside (a park or any natural environment will do), practice journaling to find a deep connection with your inner self.
3. Workaholic (masochistic) vacation. Don’t think that I am a weirdo but some people love to work until they drop during their vacation. Of course it is not your regular job, but it might be a big home improvement project, a garden project or some other manual labor. My grandmother is one of those people who just have to be doing something even when she is on vacation. I don’t understand this approach completely however if the idea of relaxing and enjoying “nothing” time sounds boring to you, then you can try this vacation. Tastes differ.
4. Foodie getaway. I love tasty food but I do not always have enough time to cook something special (and I resort to the all-time-favorite of spaghetti and marinara sauce). If you are like me then you can make this week a time for you to cook the most amazing recipes ever. Even if you do not like cooking then you can go out to a different restaurant every day of the week and try as many tasty dishes as you can eat (the consequences of this vacation to your waistline can be pretty detrimental, so approach it with moderation).
5. Get-in-the-best-shape-of-your-life Bootcamp. Most of the time we procrastinate any lifestyle changes (adding more exercise, developing healthy habits) due to the lack of time or busy schedules. People pay big money (and I really mean BIG money) to go to special spas or retreats where they will learn to exercise, eat healthier and overcome bad habits. You can do everything that they are doing for free; you just need a little bit of discipline and determination, that’s it.
   During this week make it a rule to work out every day trying different types of fitness. Choose a few healthy habits that seem most important to you right now and work on implementing them into your life. The most important rule here is to make everything feel like fun, add some rewards (massage, facial, etc.) and enjoy a healthier approach to life.
6. Discover your local attractions. Sometimes we underestimate all the fun things that can be done in our own city simply because we do not consider it as a vacation destination. Go online and find exciting things to do in your area (search for a visitor’s guide to your city or state) and rediscover your area.
7. New experiences. Do you have things on your mind that you have always wanted to try but never got around to actually doing them? Make this vacation a new experiment. Try barefoot running, try knitting, horse-back riding, gardening, cooking … There are always so many things worth trying but our busy lives always keep us from trying them. Try them now!
8. Kids-time fun. If you have kids then you can devote this week to them:
   • have fun outdoors,
   • learn new things together,
   • watch what they love (your child will enjoy a conversation with you much better when you can share their excitement about a new episode of Hannah Montana, Mickey Mouse clubhouse or even the Twilight Saga),
   • go on a picnic,
   • cook something together
   • this list is absolutely endless

   Let your inner child out when you are playing with your children. Take a break from being a grown-up!

Are there any other ideas for frugal vacations? Of course, only your imagination is the boundary. Mix these ideas up, add something new, use them during your vacation trip and you will see how much fun you can have without even spending any money at all.

Vacation is not about going anywhere and spending lots of money (though this is the exact idea that our materialistic society is trying to nail into our minds). Vacation is the time for you to relax, to stop and just enjoy the slow movement of life, it is about forgetting about schedules and to-do lists as well as letting go of worries. It is time to breathe and rediscover your inner self.

Do you have any frugal vacation ideas? They are more than welcome in the comments below. BTW, feel free to share this article with your friends. Hopefully more people in this world will enjoy a more balanced every-day life and vacation.

Keep it balanced!

Image by Gabriela Camerotti

You can reword the title of this post into “How to find the missing component of your happiness.”
I want to show you a simple technique that will help you identify which areas of your life are already in balance (and that make you happy) and which ones can still be improved.

Please ask yourself a question “What is my life?” Can you answer it with just one sentence and capture the full meaning and essence of your life? I can’t because my life has too many twists and turns and different colors and shapes… My guess is that yours is the same way. This is the reason why it is so difficult to find the components that will make you happy and balanced.

Let’s forget about our lives for a second and think about a football coach. What is his main goal? To win a football game of course. Is there one fool-proof strategy that will guarantee the victory of the team? Of course no.

Every coach must study his team and know its positives and negatives. When he knows those positives and negatives he can find a way to maximize the positives and minimize the negatives. For example if a team has a weak defense then the coach’s strategy might be to control the ball and keep defense off the field. If the team has a bad offense but a good kicker then his strategy might be to get as many field goals as possible.

Your life also has its positives and negatives. Your happiness strategy should allow you to take the maximum advantage of the positive factors while diminishing or eliminating the negative ones.

I want to show you a technique called Tug-of-War that I have found in the book Thinkertoys by Michael Michalko.

Blueprint:

1. Goal: Live a happy and balanced life.
2. Best case scenario: you are happy.
   Worst case scenario: you are sad and unhappy.
3. Your factors: you need to write down all the factors that can influence your satisfaction with life. You can focus on the following areas:
   • Family
   • Health
   • Friends and social communication
   • Career
   • Hobbies, interests, passions
   • Money
   • Emotional and spiritual balance

   You can add as many factors as you want as long as you feel that they can affect your quality of life.

4. Tug-of-war. Note which of the factors listed above are pulling you towards happiness and life balance and which ones are drawing you towards dissatisfaction and unhappiness.

In the image below you can see the example of my Life Balance Tug-of War. Factors pulling me towards happiness and balance are: happy marriage, good health, positive energy that I get from my kids, working on exciting projects, living in a perfect location for me. The factors that are pulling me away are: my close friends and family are far away, not enough quiet time for work, not enough time for exercise.

(Click on the image to open it as a pdf.)

In order to move your (and my) life towards a more balanced and happy state we can use the following scenarios:

1. Maximize positives.
2. Minimize negatives.
3. Add more positives.

I hope that by this time you already have your tug-of-war table ready and handy. Now you know what components your life balance is missing and we can concentrate on improving your happiness level.

Improve your life balance and happiness

1. Focus on the strong points. Be grateful and appreciative of what you have in life. Try to get as much positive energy as possible from your strong points (spend more quality time with your partner, devote more time to your hobbies and kids etc.)
2. Minimize negative points. It is helpful to reframe each of those negative points into a challenge and look for possible solutions. Here is my example:
   In what way can I spend more time with my family and friends?
   • plan a vacation to visit my family
   • communicate with my friends and family on Skype
   • make new friends

   In what way can I get more quiet time for work?

   • hire a babysitter to stay with the kids a few times a week
   • get up earlier or go to bed later
   • maximize my productivity: turn off the cell-phone, sign out of chat and social media, check email only when my project is finished
   • find an inspiring place where I can get more done in less time

   How can I get more time for exercise?

   • go for a walk with the babies
   • exercise while playing with the babies (push-ups, sit-ups, jumps, running in place, lunges etc.)
   • quit going to the gym and exercise at home. This way I can be more flexible with my workouts and cut out time sitting in traffic
   • become a fitness instructor so that I can get paid for exercising or start a fitness group with my friends so that I can spend time with them and get motivated for exercise at the same time
3. Add more positive forces: adding more to your lifestyle might be too overwhelming but it is still an option. If you have free time then you can try new hobbies. You can get a pet (dogs and cats have proved to lower the stress levels of their owners) or think about changing your career.

This is it. It is a simple plan that will help you find the missing components of your life balance. I encourage you to do this exercise right away (if you procrastinate then you will never get it done and you will miss out on the opportunity to greatly improve your life.) If you have trouble minimizing negative factors in your life, please share them in the comments below and I’ll be glad to help.

Please let me know how this exercise worked for you. I am looking forward to your feedback.

Keep it balanced!

Image by FREDBOUAINE créer…♥

To-do lists … I love them and hate them at the same time. What about you? Are they your motivation or are they a waste of time? The debate of to do or not to do lies even deeper: is it worth being disciplined and going by the book or is it better to live your life spontaneously giving room to your passions and creativity?

I do not think it is possible to find a person who does not have a to-do list or does not think that he/she should have one. It has become a staple in the productivity movement to create to-do lists and to follow them. But wait, lately I’ve started hearing about killing your to-do list and living in the moment. It sounds so tempting and yet … completely unproductive to me. Am I wrong?

What is the problem with to-do lists?

Did you ever write that endless to-do list full of things that you do not want to do? Every time you look at that endless list you realize how much you have not done yet and you get stressed out and frustrated. Your to-do list drains your energy instead of motivating you to accomplish things.

Maybe you are one of the creative people who hate plans and have to do whatever your heart tells you to. They like going with the flow and listening to their inner voice that tells them what they need to do today.

Going over a to-do list can be a pretty uninspiring task that drains your mental energy and makes you feel like you have a 100-pound load on your back that is constantly pushing you towards the ground.

What about life without to-do lists?

Living without a to-do list can be your dream that will give you wings in life. You let go of fixed goals, you focus on a single thing every day and you enjoy your life again. Doesn’t it sound wonderful?

It does, but only to a certain extent. To-dos also help us remember things that we need to get done (I don’t know about you but I constantly forget things especially if my twins are having a bad day.)

Discipline and planning can be motivating and exciting if you do not overdo it. I usually write some of my best articles if I have a deadline that I have to meet.

Your to-do list can remind you to spend time with yourself or set aside a few hours a week for your exercise and hobbies.

Your to-do list can make your life more balanced if you make your list balanced.

A smarter (and more balanced) To-Do for you

I must confess that I love to-do lists. You can call me boring and dull but I cannot imagine my life without to-dos. They give me energy and motivation; they ignite my creativity while maintaining a high level of productivity. The secret is to use a smarter to-do list. There is a certain degree of balance that you should bring into your planning that will turn your to-do list from a boring list into an inspiring one.

1. Make your to-do list weekly, not daily. Daily to-dos put too much pressure on you because you do not always have time to finish everything on the list. It is much better to make a weekly list and then you will be able to decide when you feel like doing a certain task.
2. Set priorities. Not all tasks are equal in their importance (we all know that) so I would recommend to highlight the most important ones (try to keep them under 5 for 1 week). If the task is really big then you should pick a day when you will focus entirely on this task (e.g. I usually set aside the whole day for my cleaning projects and I do not even try to do anything else that day.)
3. Break down your to-do. In order to stay organized I combine tasks that can be easily done together in my list. For example, a trip to the grocery store and to the post office can definitely be done at the same time (if I write them down together then I won’t forget about any of them.) It might take you a few extra minutes to rewrite your to-do but it will be worth it in the end.
4. Keep your list balanced. For every dull task write down at least 1 fun task. For example, if you have to clean the house then you can add a task of eating out that day to reward yourself for the good work.
5. Keep your list short. I usually try to keep my weekly list under 20 items (10 is even more preferable). Avoid adding items to this list if possible. You will feel so much better if you finish your weekly plan a little bit earlier and have a few spare days just for your fun.
6. Add fun stuff to your list. To-dos that are nothing but daunting tasks are discouraging. While you have to get some things done during the week you also have to have fun that week (remember, your work/life balance?) Write down your “me” time, add a trip to the movies or a hike in the park as well as outings with your friends on that list. This way you will not feel that your life is slipping away from you.
7. Declutter your list. Some of the activities that we consider important are really not that important in reality. Look at your list carefully and see if there are any tasks that you can put off or completely eliminate.
8. Keep your list where you can see it. If you do not see your list then you forget about the tasks that are on it and then at the end of the week when you finally find it you think “Oh no!” Take your list one step at a time and it will be your friend instead of your foe.
9. Do not procrastinate. We usually tend to procrastinate with the most difficult tasks until the last moment. The truth about those tasks is that most of the time they are not as bad as they seem. Once you get to them you realize that they take less of your time and energy than you thought. Your imagination acts against you in this case and draws a picture of “mission impossible”. Once the most difficult tasks of the week are out of the way you can enjoy the rewards that you’ve put on the list and feel free and light again.
10. Be flexible. I know that all of us have certain deadlines that we cannot change but we also have deadlines that are more like recommended guidelines. Sometimes the best strategy to get something done is to change your focus and do something completely different. Do not live by the book, rather follow the best guidelines.
11. Keep it simple. You can spend your money on high tech to-dos or sign up for online accounts that will allow you to manage your tasks online, get reminders of your deadlines via email or cell phone. I’ve tried some of those services but pen and paper still work the best for me. I like to add a creative image to my list, use some funny hand-font for a task that seems most intimidating and absolutely adore to strike things out of my list by hand (I do it with so much passion sometimes that my list gets cut into two lists:-)) Choose the method that will work best for you but do not make things too complicated.
12. Chill out. When you feel that your life is getting too crazy and you are consumed by over-productivity take your list and throw it in the trash. Sometimes all of us just need that fresh breath of air that is not restrained by any to-do lists.

Don’t let your to-do control your life, rather control your to-do to make it fit your life.

What is your story with to-dos? Do you use them? Do you hate them? What are your tips to keep your life organized without getting carried away in boring routines?

Keep it balanced!

Image by kharied

Your habits, experiences, mood and emotions determine how you see the world. There are no two people that will see the world exactly the same and I don’t think there is a person who can look at the world completely impartially. Just a simple example: take a look at this square. What color is it?

Some of you will see it as green, the others will see it as light green, somebody else might consider it puke-green or his/her-first-car-green. Imagine how many shades we can create for our lives and world around us! This vision influences the quality of our life, our happiness, success and of course life balance.

There are usually four types of glasses that all of us put on in lives. I am pretty sure that you are familiar with all of them. I am going to use a simple situation to illustrate how those glasses will affect us. The situation is “It is sunny and warm and you want to go running outside.”

1. Pessimism (negative thinking):
   It’s hot again, I can’t even breathe outside and I am so not going running today … again. Why does it always happen to me?
2. Optimism (positive thinking):
   Hooray! It’s sunny and warm and great and awesome! WOW! I am getting my sneakers on and I am on my way!
3. Realism. I do not think that there is such thing as true realism because it would mean that your emotions and mood have absolutely no influence at what you think. I distinguish positive realism and negative realism.
   3a. Positive realism:
   It is hot and sunny outside however if I go running right now I might overheat or get burnt. I’d rather wait a few hours when the sun starts getting down and I will be able to enjoy a better and safer run.
   3b. Negative realism:
   It is hot and sunny but I can’t go running right now because it is too hot and the sun is too strong. I could go running in a couple of hours but I know that I will be busy then because I have so much on me. I wish I just had more time in life (Sigh!).

Optimism and positive thinking are highly praised today but I don’t think that they are always the best answer. I personally believe that positive realism is the best way to look at the world. Why?

What’s the problem with positive thinking?

Optimists tend to believe that positive events happen in their lives more often than negative ones (which is not exactly true). This thinking pattern can keep you from seeing trouble when it is just ahead of you or changing your direction when something is not working out in life.

I have a few friends who are extremely positive and optimistic. They are absolute fountains of joy and happiness however most of their business endeavors and even relationships do not work out. They misjudge people around them and they get burnt when those people turn out to be not as good as they thought they were. Their business ideas fall apart because they do not consider all the facts and numbers as well as the actual steps that are necessary in order to make that business successful. They hold on to their optimistic beliefs until it is too late to change something and then they get into trouble.

What is the power of positive realism?

When you combine positivity and realism you tend to see what is really going on around you but you choose to concentrate on the positive outcomes. You still acknowledge the fact that something might go wrong but you don’t get stuck on it (as opposed to negative realism). You accept it, you plan for it and you move on towards your positive future.

We all know that bad times happen in life and those times are actually vitally important for us. They build our character, they develop compassion and sympathy in us, they help us grow and see beyond what is familiar to us and they create a perfect counterbalance for all the positive events in our lives. I would never want to live a life that is filled only with positive stuff because then I would be too spoiled and I would not be able to appreciate my life as much as I do now.

This is the reason why positive realism is so strong. Even when you go through difficult times you tend to see something good in them, when you start something new you are open to both results, you are cautious and yet open, you are goal-oriented and yet flexible.

How do you master the art of positive realism?

It is really simple:

• Dream big but break those goals into realistic steps.
• Be grateful for the good and the bad in your life.
• Be flexible and accept what is coming into your life.
• Believe in something greater than yourself.

So what glasses are you wearing today?

And … oh …
Keep it balanced!