I truly enjoy my work as a personal trainer.  It is an extension of what I love about fitness, teaching, and healthcare.  Being involved in the industry puts me in a state of mind to keep myself as healthy as I can to be sure I am able to convey that energy to others.

Sometimes life gets busy.

Sometimes “the list” gets so big it gets in the way.

Sometimes family obligations, social obligations, or even the weather puts a kink in my well-orchestrated plan and I am derailed.

Those are the days I feel my good intentions slipping out of reach.

I WANT to do my extra cardio workout, but I also have to do A, B, and C.  The workout is pushed to the side.

I WANT to cook a healthy meal for dinner, but the grass needs mowed, the garden needs weeded, and both of those tasks took way longer than I expected.  The meal becomes either eating out, or something fast and less than healthy.

I have friends and family I do not get to see as often as I would like and I want to start reaching out to them.  I start to think of the time involved and what I must give up in workouts or meal planning to make it happen.

My life is relatively simple compared to many.  I empathize with clients at the gym who have work (some more than one job), family and home, extended family, and all that goes with that package.  There are school projects and sporting events.  There is shopping for project supplies and clothing.  Planning meals for many is not an easy task, nor is the shopping and preparation involved.

Many people, like me, feel it is being selfish to do for us before others.

Many people, like me, consider passing on workouts or meal planning to give that time to someone else. 

Many people, like me, struggle with finding and maintaining balance.

Laura Wall, a mentor from my Precision Nutrition coaching program made a brilliant statement this week:  “Needs of others and needs of self may feel like an either/or situation. What if "and" was another option?”

Bingo!

AND.

I can do my extra cardio AND A, B, and C.  I may not be able to go as long as I originally planned, but I can do 20 minutes rather than 30 minutes.

I can cook a healthy meal AND tend to the lawn and garden tasks.  If I cook a little extra one day of the week and have some chicken breasts or beef patties in the refrigerator, I can pair them up with a vegetable for a quick and healthy meal on that busy day.

I can visit my friends and family.  I do not have to visit everyone all at once.  I can plan a visit here and there, built into each month, and still give attention to my fitness schedule.

Finding that balance is self-preservation.

Without that balance, I am unhealthy.

Without that balance, I am unhappy.

Without that balance, I cannot fully give myself to the tasks of being available for others in my world.

This week, I am learning to find the AND in my life situations. 

This week, I am learning that with AND I have more time for everything I need to do, and feel less stress overall.

This week, I am finding my balance.

I hope you find your balance too.