I looked at myself in the mirror today after the gym and was harshly slapped in the face by reality. It's hard to not be mad at myself for some of the things I've let go of this past year - my health, my diet, making my body stronger and more fit. 

I tell myself that I had a lot going on. A new career, a new routine, a new love... all of these new things were happily welcomed, and that's totally OK. What's not OK is ignoring the fact that I let myself go in order to make all these things work. 

When things are meant for you, you should not need to sacrifice other parts of your life that you love in order to fit them in. I have a tendency of picking up a new, shiny, fun thing that I like, and giving it my undivided attention. I will drop everything else for that new, shiny thing (I like to attribute this to my ADHD) - and it's not because I necessarily have to, but because I want to. 

It's so easy to point the blame away from yourself, but if I've learned one thing in my twenties, it's self-awareness - and I truly have no one to blame but myself. Like history repeating itself, I take my new, shiny things and put them on a pedestal - one that does not have room for anything that came before it. 

What I wish that I could remember in these times, is that I can have my new, shiny things and still make time & space for the things that have preceded it. I can make time for it all. I just have to want to. 

With all that being said, I have come such a long way in other aspects of my life, and I wouldn't trade that for anything. I won't get into details but I can remember sitting in this same room a year ago, literally dreaming to be in the spot I am financially in now. (I am not even close to where I want to be but to not touch on the immense growth I have made in a year would be insulting to myself). It's so important to remember where you started, to keep you motivated on your journey to where you are going. That's why I absolutely adore reflecting with myself, and with you all in this space. It has become an outlet for me. And although I give myself nightmares of the people who may laugh at the full transparency in my blog here, it is my hope that at least just one person can relate and understand.

So the burning question is, how do I find balance? How do I find the time and energy to juggle building a business, becoming more mindful and healthy, and maintaining relationships, all while attempting to stay (somewhat) sane?

When you guys figure it out, please let me know!!!

Just kidding. There's no real "secret" here but sometimes it helps when you have the reminder slapped right in front of your face. At least for me, anyways.

1. Discipline. Even on days where you don't want to do it, keep your end goal in mind. Remember why you started in the first place.
2. Feed your soul. Connect with nature, clear your mind, meditate, read a book - whatever makes you feel fulfilled, make sure to make time for it, every single day.
3. Focus on today. One of my favorite sayings is "Rome wasn't built in a day." When you have so much that you want to accomplish, it's easy to get overwhelmed with everything you have to do to get there. Just keep going, one day at a time, and trust the process. Only focus on what is in front of you right now and the rest will fall into place. One percent better, everyday. 

And if there's one more thing for you to hold in your heart, please remember to give yourself grace. We are all a work in progress, striving to be better every day. It won't happen overnight, or even in a week, or a month. And if you're anything like me, you will probably try and then fail and then try a few more times and fail again. But all that matters is that you keep getting up and trying. And one day, when you least expect it, it will finally stick.