It is Possible! Balanced Living Tips for the Speaker-preneur
By Donna L. Hamilton, MD, MS
Lately there seems to be a balanced living backlash. I’ve heard many “experts” telling overextended women to give up on the idea of balanced living. I feel sad and frustrated when I hear this. After all, many of us created our speaking businesses so we could experience the joy of sharing our passion and the freedom of being our own boss. Resigning ourselves to dealing with unrelenting stress isn’t part of the vision. It also could sap our enthusiasm, a key part of our successful talks.
My physician thinking kicks in and translates balanced living challenges into any other health issue. Overextended, stressful living is by no means a terminal diagnosis. The best advice is not to send someone home and make them comfortable. I think of stressed, off kilter living in terms of something that, if managed well, can have minimal flare ups. You can also get things under control with fewer complications when an exacerbation does happen.
As with most things health, one size doesn’t fit all. Check out these tips to see if any appeal to you. Then make an appointment to talk with your doctor or therapist to come up with a stress management plan that will help you create a more balanced life now. By the way, it’s perfectly reasonable to discuss stress with your doctor like you would any other health topic, so don’t be shy.
Balanced Living Tips
1) Be aware: In our fast paced, on demand life it’s very easy to live on autopilot. Paying attention to what you really want, what is and isn’t working, and what is actually pulling you out of balance can help you start to course correct.
2) Prioritize: You’ve probably heard this a million times. That’s because it works. Setting priorities can help you get out of overwhelm. Decide what’s most important to you. Then make choices that move you towards accomplishing it instead of towards distracting interests. This can move you towards feeling more balanced and less stressed in your life.
3) Align your life: Pursuing conflicting goals is a recipe for getting off balance. When roles and responsibilities pull you in different directions major stress can develop. It can be tough, but if you want to start feeling more harmony and stability in your life you might have to make some changes. The changes could be internal (like letting go of perfectionist goals), external (like decreasing your bookings), or both.
Be well.
© 2012 Donna L. Hamilton, MD
Our Women Speaker Association #SpeakerChat guest expert for Tuesday 10/9/12 , 4pm PT | 7pm ET. If you like this article you’ll LOVE joining the chat with us! Bring your questions to LINK TO SPEAKERCHAT.. THANKS!!!! http://tweetchat.com/room/speakerchat