“Work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. The other four balls – family, health, friends, and integrity – are made of glass. If you drop one of these, it will be irrevocably scuffed, nicked, perhaps even shattered.” – Gary Keller
Now that the hustle and bustle of the holidays and new year are over and we are settling back into our routine, some of us may be finding ourselves a bit overwhelmed. Getting back to work or the daily grind of a normalized schedule and spending less time with our families can seem a bit much right now. It is important in these moments to find balance in our lives. Whether it be a work-life balance or balance between your needs and those who need you and are meaningful to you. Being the best version of yourself, for you and for those you love, requires balance.
It is important to remember that if you’re going to be the best at work, the best partner in a relationship, the best mother or father, the best friend, the best yogi, or the best worker that you can be, you have to take care of yourself and ensure your wants and needs are met. If we put too much pressure on ourselves to be the best at everything, we will inevitably leave ourselves behind and all aspects of our life will begin to suffer.
There are a couple things I want you to do:
Think about something that is important to you and write it down on a post-it note and place it somewhere visible. Whatever you have written down on the post-it, I want you to dedicate at least 20 minutes of each day to it with no interruptions. If this means meditating or a form of reflection, spending time with your kids, having “me” time…I want you to do it every day for one week. Once the week is done, reflect on how you feel. Are you gaining a sense of balance? Are there more things you want to dedicate yourself to?
Another thing I want you to do during this week is practice awareness. During a lunch break at work or a moment alone at home or out running errands, take the time to slow down and really SEE the world around you. For 10 minutes I want you to focus on your surroundings. Not only see, but notice all the different colors around you; see the things you may have missed before because you were too busy focusing on the next meeting or getting your errands done; listen to the sounds around you and how the make you feel. Take these 10 minutes every day for one week and see how more mindful and self-aware you have become.
At Stretchery, balance is a part of what we do. Our goal is to create products that balance our passion for sustainability and products that fit the daily grind. Products that can move with us and allow us to feel good about wearing them as much as we love wearing them. Let your Stretchery products be a reminder to seek and maintain balance in your life!
Leave a comment