This post is sponsored by Nature’s Way.
So far this year I’ve been able to make progress in the realm of self care and not the kind that involves bubble baths. I’ve learned that progress in this area involves learning to make a hard decision that is better in the long run instead of the easy decision with short-term benefits. Today I’ve partnered with Nature’s Way to share some of the decisions I’ve made this year to help me find balance in my life.
6 Ways to Find Balance in the New Year
1. Get a good night’s rest.
It’s so easy to let time slide by in the evenings. It’s my quiet time and I like to enjoy as much of it as I can, but is sitting up on the computer late at night something healthy for me? No. I’ve converted my evenings to be screen free as much as possible within the couple of hours before bed. I used to go to bed late, most often after midnight, and it made waking up in the morning feel like a huge chore. Since the new year started I’ve made it a point to go to bed in time to get a solid 8 hours of sleep. My routine is to do any personal care like a bath or washing my face, then getting comfortable, drinking tea, and reading a book. I never realized how much I miss reading until I started to incorporate it into my nightly routine.
2. Eating foods that are healthy for me.
This. is. the. hardest. As a busy mom it is so easy at the end of the day when I’m tired to agree to eat out. Then, when we’re eating out, do I go for a salad or healthy option? Nope. I always tend to go for more unhealthy choices because often they are the easiest for me to make and if I’m eating out I want to live it up, right? I have started to ask myself the question, “Will it nourish my body?” before I eat anything and it’s helped me immensely. If the answer is ,”No.” then I simply don’t eat it. So far it has taken a little will power but it’s working for me and we’re cooking more at home even if it is the harder choice for me sometimes.
3. Working out, even if I don’t have time.
This is another hard one for me. My biggest excuse is that I don’t have time and it had to stop. Working out is a large part of my goal this year so now I make time to work out at least 3x a week. I find on days that I don’t feel like going biking or for a run I can do a workout at home and still feel achieved. Since our move took us to a neighborhood that is less walkable than our last neighborhood I’ve been making it a point to walk anyway. Getting to the grocery store and the kids’ schools is a farther walk but it just means I’ll get more exercise doing it.
4. Realizing the power of nature.
As much as I respect Western Medicine in the right situation, I’ve always leaned to nature when it comes to my overall health. I was more than thrilled when Nature’s Way reached out to partner on a post. I take their Vitex Fruit Supplement and Blood Sugar Metabolism Blend as part of my daily regimen. Vitex is traditionally used to help balance a woman’s monthly cycle* and the Blood Sugar Metabolism Blend is used to help maintain sugar levels.* I love that many of their herbal supplements contain no artificial colors or flavoring, are gluten free, vegetarian, are Non-GMO Project verified, and Tru-ID certified.
5. Learn when to say, “No”.
It never feels good to decline an invitation to a place I’d really love to go or to step back when friends are making plans, but sometimes it is a better decision than to cram my schedule. Having a jam-packed schedule leads too often to me having to figure out the logistics of making it all work on schedule. I’m no longer attending events or making plans because I feel obligated, and I have to say that it’s pretty freeing. Learning to say, “No.” was something I worked on last year and I’m happy to say I am firm in my belief that it doesn’t require explaining.
6. Find the silver lining.
Negativity breeds negativity and last year I feel like I was the queen of drowning in it. From our move, to car accidents, to vet visits, I felt like I was on a downward spiral and climbing out of something like that is hard work. I started small by attempting to find a silver lining in everyday problems. I even started using a gratitude journal which has both morning and night prompts to help you focus on the positives of the day instead of the negatives. I have to say that it has really helped with my outlook and making intentional decisions throughout the day.
Do you ever have to make hard decisions that are better for you in the long run? What are they? How do you find motivation to make the harder choice?
This post is sponsored by Nature’s Way, an herbal supplement brand I have been a fan of for years. All opinions and images are my own. Thank you so much for helping to support sponsors that make life here at Hej Doll a little sweeter.
** This statement has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
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