The Balanced Life, Huntsville Alabama

Most of us are familiar with the expression “all work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy”. It is time we took an inventory of our work to play ratio. Summer is definitely the season to play, as there is plenty of opportunity for fun in the sun, travel, and spending time with friends and family. Although we have to do some “adulting” most days, it is important to make time for the things we enjoy and the people we enjoy spending time with. So, without further ado, here are 10 ways to treat yourself this summer!

I often hear from clients that they struggle with motivation for a variety of reasons.  And I must admit that I do, too, from time to time.  What is it about that word “motivation” that can make us feel on top of the world and the bottom of the barrel?  Truth be told, I recently felt stuck and had a difficult time finding my motivation.  It was like I was resisting positivity in my life and had this invisible wall between me and my progress. 

By: Dana Hampson, LPC-S, BCC

Each January, Runner’s World magazine (of which I am a subscriber) puts out their annual New Year, New You edition to kick the year off right. It’s chock full of articles and advice meant to motivate and inspire would-be runners to run and for experienced runners to take it to the next level, whatever that might be for each person. I like reading it. Sometimes I find something new and interesting. Since I’ve been running for over a decade now, most of the stuff I already know but it’s a good refresher. What it really does for me is encourages thought about what I’d like to do better as a runner, how I can improve in the next year, what I’ve done up until this point and what’s still on my bucket list to accomplish in the future.

As we end the year 2015 and look forward to a new year in 2016, I can’t help but reflect on this past year and think about what went well, goals I achieved, and what did not. We all know that many people set New Year’s resolutions only to have them fail and fizzle out by the end of January. I know I’ve done that a time or two. I read this morning that goals fail for two reasons: fear of failure and lack of motivation. If I want to earn a college degree, thinking about it isn’t going to get the degree, registering for the first class is. Or if I want to be healthier, sitting on the couch thinking about it and feeling guilty is not going to get me there, exercise and healthier eating is.

September is National Self-Care Awareness Month. So this month, don’t feel guilty for having a little extra “me time”. The term “self-care” has become more and more popular throughout the years, but I still get the question, “What actually is self-care?” from a lot of clients. From my experience, it is definitely NOT eating a whole bag of Doritos in one sitting. Just in case anyone was wondering.

During coffee with a friend, I have not seen in a month, we discussed the current state of our lives and that of family and mutual friends. However, throughout the entirely of the 45mins coffee break my friend continuously checked her phone, responded to emails, and complained of how busy she is all of the time. Hence, the reason I have not seen her in over a month. She was obviously frazzled and overwhelmed. I could not help but to feel sad for her. However, she is not alone in her quest to check all of the boxes all of the time.

Did you see the recent article Newsweek put out citing a recent study that Alabama is the most stressed state?

I spent this past weekend in one of my favorite Southern cities, Charleston, SC. I haven't been there in several years and was so excited to be back. I love history and Charleston practically oozes it. From the gorgeous homes to the cobblestone streets to the beautiful waterfront, it's a place all history buffs should visit in their lifetime. I went there to run a half marathon and had a great race on Saturday. The weather was perfect, I felt great, and ran well. As I ran along during the race, I marvelled not only at the amazing architercture and scenery but also the resilience of this city. In the mid 1800's alone, it endured multiple fires, an earthquake and the Civil War.  I thought about the story of Charleston and how it's grown and changed over the last two hundred plus years. It's history is tainted with the terrible atrocity of slavery and the years of struggle for equality and fairness. Yet, it has remained a testament to resilience and rebirth. I see the power of perserverance and opportunity every time I visit.