Simple Ways to Balance Your Mind, Body, and Soul
If you caught this post, you would be well acquainted with the fact that my goal since starting my blog in 2016 has been to ensure I deliver content according to your needs, dear reader. Fashion and travel aside, I have been consistent in sharing posts on personal wellness and blogging tips here on Urban Diaries, that have helped me and in turn, have hopefully helped you. I continue to seek inspiration from elements around me and am working towards developing these insights into business models for blogging.
But before diving into the business aspect, I would like to lay a great deal of emphasis on personal health. I have spent these last few months nourishing my mind, body, and soul in innumerable ways, and can honestly say that I’ve never felt better. Here are some that have worked wonders for me ~ be it a new technique I’ve only come across recently or a practice I’ve honed for years ~ and I would like to share these with you to try for yourself and improve your life internally. Read on for 6 simple ways to balance your mind, body, and soul.
SCHEDULED WORKOUTS
Rather than waking up and considering my workout options or having a set routine to do every day, I have now begun to plan a weekly workout schedule in a manner similar to my business meetings or luncheons with my girlfriends. Every Monday morning, I schedule in a week of workouts and book classes and pin them to my calendar. This method I have found to be the most effective because it doesn’t restrict me to a predictable routine and also gives me clarity on what my workout plan for the week looks like. Simply taking out the guessing game of, “will I go and when?” has been so peaceful, and my routine is more regular than ever.
SELF CARE DAYS
If you are active on social media, you would have come across the hashtag #selfcare one too many times. This basically translates to taking a day off from your hectic schedule and indulging in a pampering session {maybe a relaxing body massage and a luxurious facial?}. Believe my word when I say, there is something so incredibly nourishing for the mind, body, and soul when you take the time to pamper yourself. And when done in a synchronised routine, I find that breaking away from my daily life stressors and giving myself a much-needed indulgence helps reset “me”. Yes, my body is a temple and I treat it with the respect it deserves.
If it’s not in the budget to have a full-on spa day, I recommend that you do an at-home routine with a simple homemade face mask, a nice scented candle and a cup of herbal tea. The extravagance of your day off gives your body and soul the happiness they deserve.
ONLINE DETOX
I have caught myself a few times over the years, focusing on the criticism and comparison that comes with having a public profile. While I do my best to try modulating my use, I’m human; it leads me down the dark path of self-doubt. Yes, my job revolves around social media, but I have also become more aware of its repercussions and have learnt to balance my use of it this year.
Along with a social media detox, I’ve also been {every once in a while} cleaning up my feed. Similar to a spring cleaning session at home, I remove accounts that no longer serve me, and this leaves me feeling much lighter and happier. Another tip, courtesy of my wonderful husband, is to mute the negative people; as simple as that. Out of sight and out of mind!
GROW YOUR KNOWLEDGE
I am sure you are well aware of the fact that I love to learn new things ~ be it through art, culture, books or any other form ~ as I find it vital to continuous growth! Every single experience {conversations with someone new, or listening to a TED talk, for example} has a learning lesson behind it and I have been humble enough to acknowledge and embrace it. Through my experiences shared via Urban Diaries, I hope to inspire you to be open to learning something new wherever you can {every single day/week/month}. So, go on and develop a new hobby or even meet someone new for coffee. I promise you, this will give you much-needed insight toward developing a new perspective.
YOUR CHECKLIST
This was one of my resolutions for 2018 and I still continue to do this. I am just like everyone else, I love just laying back and sipping on chai whilst reading a good book. But this indulgence is even sweeter when I know I have ticked everything off my checklist for the day. Yes, making a checklist and making sure I follow through has been one of the most effective ways of keeping myself in check. You can hang yours above your desk, or set them as a phone reminder for every morning… the important part is to ensure you set a daily reminder to help you complete your checklist for the day. The satisfaction of ticking all those boxes is a pleasure like none other! This brings me to my final tip ~
ROUTINE CHECKS
We all undoubtedly lead hectic lives, and more often than not, we end our days by going to bed after having worked all day, and without actually checking in with ourselves. This isn’t conducive to our health and if you find yourself doing the same, I would highly recommend dedicating time to grounding yourself daily, whenever you can, both in the mornings and evenings.
I personally start my day with a cup of herbal tea watching the sunrise from my balcony, where I can enjoy my thoughts in silence. And after a long day of work, I enjoy a candlelit aromatic bath post-workout, to relax my mind and body. I follow that by keeping the TV off and conversing with my husband, Vikram, about our day in general. By starting and ending my day on a peaceful mode, I have noticed a stark difference in my life {for the better}. I now go to bed and wake up feeling light and fresh and I cannot recommend doing this enough!
To conclude: Personal well being is a topic I am rather passionate about and if you feel the same way, let me know so I can make it a more regular topic of discussion. In the meantime, let me know your thoughts on this post ~ Simple Ways to Balance Your Mind, Body, and Soul ~ in the comments below.
I quite like the “mute” thought. I’ve used what could be compared to “snoozing” someone for a month on Facebook. Taking a break from the “idiot box” is great as well; I wind down after a stressful day with an hour or two on the piano. 🙂
Oh interesting!
You have put such thought into this, Tanya and seem to be putting it into practice too ~ well done!
Thank you so much, Raj.
Love this and adore you, Tanya! What an extraordinary reminder of the things we disregard, but are essential for thriving!
Aw ~ thank you so much, Shreya! Appreciate your support.
I love that you raised this point ~ getting grounded on the day by day. I comprehend the sentiment of going a million miles per minute. Thanks for sharing your tips. xx
Of course! xx
Delightful post! A nourished soul creates a sense of wholeness that not only improves your well-being, but the well-being of those around you!
Absolutely!
This post really resonated with me, Tanya! You are such an inspiration, thank you for sharing this with us!
You are most welcome, Anita!
These are beautiful thoughts you’ve shared. I generally end my day with an interesting read and the world just melts away.
Books can solve all problems, right? 🙂
I zone out when I have to work out and by planning it during the week, I know I have a set time that I stop working, because when you’re working for yourself and by yourself ~ it’s so natural to just continue onward!
So true. Thank you for sharing, Elangbam.
Firslty, love your dress so much! Secondly, I find these tips to be amazing! I figure that working out is the most effortless and most ideal way for me to check in with myself.
Yesss! What’s your favourite workout, Monika?
An early morning walk in the park facing my apartment. 🙂
This is so great! Cleaning my feed is something I need to get around to doing! xoxo
Yes, so necessary!
Fantastic tips! I am stretching and/or exercising every day and I truly do feel better. 🙂
Ah, so happy to hear that ~ exercise is magical, isn’t it?
Scheduled self-pampering sessions and getting back in touch with Mother Nature are the two best things we can gift ourselves. Love your thoughts and tips, Tanya!
Yes! Both are splendid, Anju.
I am presently reading a book you may enjoy; it’s called “Present Over Perfect” and I have found it to be life changing! (Also, you’re outfit is sublime!)
Thank you for sharing, Chara.
This is such an inspiring post! Love the idea of touching base with yourself!
So necessary to me. xx
Very few know how to handle “every situation,” Tanya. And yes, you are right to take a small break from your hectic life and do something you like for a day or two. 🙂
Thank you for sharing, Anson.
While emotional well-being is necessary for coping with life’s daily challenges, mental wellness allows you to remain calm in the face of adversities. Thank you for sharing.
My pleasure, Srishti.
For me, an effective outlet to release my pent up anger is through painting. I feel a sense of relief as the tension dissipates…
How lovely to find refuge in artistic painting!
I take time out to sit in silence, and be at ease with my surroundings. I cut off the distractions and disturbances, especially technology that usually ends up draining my energy and creating unwanted stress.
Let your mind be awake, alert and observant, while keeping your inner calm.
It may sound random, but I start my day by writing a poem ~ something as simple as a haiku. I have found that doing this has dramatically reduced my stress while simultaneously opening my mind to many details in the world and opportunities that I would not have otherwise noticed.
Such a great outlet to help us be present and remember the little moments, Megha.
I love your content! I start by exploring my options for evolving in this season, I then move on to taking one step at a time. And yes, the way to a happier life is with less worries. ❤️
Thank you for being so kind and being here with me in this space.
So heartfelt. You consistently bring your all and I truly appreciate that. ❤️ To me, life on my own terms means the ability to live a life that is meaningful and fulfilling to me.
Thank you for your lovely comment, Swati.
Words can neither qualify nor quantify how helpful your guidance and advice has been. I’m forever grateful for your blog, Tanya!
There are only two possibilities ~ either you run the day and your life, or the day and your life runs you.
Beautiful share. I always like to reflect on the past year of all my wins and losses I experienced, and use those losses as lessons and wins as sign of pushing forward…
I truly believe that we should celebrate every tiny victory ~ even if it looks like pulling yourself out of the bed when you don’t feel like it!
Definitely needed this! ✨ It’s crazy how on point for my current journey this content is! It’s encouraging to hear someone else talk about it. By the way, I love your posts because I can totally relate!
Thank you very much, Dildar. So kind of you!
Your posts always makes me happy! And yes, reignite those positive emotions and create an effective roadmap forward for you, allowing you to live in true alignment with yourself.
How lovely of you to say so, Abdul. Thank you!
Everything is a gift of the universe–even joy, anger, jealousy, frustration, or separateness. Everything is perfect either for our growth or our enjoyment.
On that note, I really appreciate your work. Keep sharing, keep motivating.
Thank you, Deepa. I’m so glad to hear this!
I love how humanity and courage are always at the heart of your writing, Tanya! And yes, in order to change our lives in positive ways, we need to first get out of autopilot mode and start living in awareness.
Thank you, Bassant. So glad you like it!
On point! ✨ My “Theory on Life” is that “Life is Beautiful”. You have a day, and a night, and a month, and a year. As people, we change; we can be miserable or we can be happy. It’s what you make of “Your Life”.
Thank you for adding to my post, Vidhy. Nice of you.
This is really amazing! ❤️
Love yourself, accept yourself, respect yourself – then the probability of being loved, accepted and respected will definitely increase, and organically too!
Quite true. So glad you like the post, Shidin!
What a beautiful realization. ❤️ The past few weeks have given me not only the opportunity for introspection but also attention to detail. Even the smallest things in and around my life have made me miss myself a whole lot. And, my only mission is to breathe life into “her”… To find myself again.
That is sensitive of you, to resonate like this. Thank you, Nidha.
Oh, I’m in love with this thought! ❤️ We can’t underestimate the power of showing up with joy, love and kindness. Such a beautiful post, and thank you for the reminder, Tanya.
That makes me happy to hear, Bhoomika.
Amazing content as always. ❤️
“You are responsible for the energy that you create for yourself, and you’re responsible for the energy that you bring to others.” – Oprah Winfrey
Your feedback is much appreciated, Indumathi!
Resonate with this so much. ✨ De-clutter your internal and external environment – the quality of your life will improve drastically when you consciously recognise what’s worth keeping around and what’s not.
So glad to hear this, Wahida!
I’ve fallen at a few hurdles, but that’s the beauty of Life. We get to learn and relearn, let in and let go, loose and find ourselves over and over again. It’s time to dust myself off and enjoy this journey again because I’m worthy of healing and happiness.
Keep posting amazing content, Tanya. ❤️
It is such a pleasure to see your comment, Vaishnavi. Hope you are doing great!
Right off the bat ❤️ my girl.
Use your energy wisely. Use it for your joy; use it for your growth. One of the most beautiful things is coming back to who you really are so make sure you create from that place of pureness. This is your gift.
I wholeheartedly agree, Amina! So glad you like it!