Columnist Annabell Cannings takes you on her A-Z mindfulness journey

 

BALANCE. To be able to truly utilise balance in life is an ongoing goal of mine.

For me, the aspiration to feel the scales in my own universe are balanced comes from years of inconsistency and confusion.

Not allowing myself to be individual and human.

Balance can be applied to any aspect of your life.

We are human, we are allowed to make mistakes, celebrate our wins, eat well and also indulge. Make time to read a book or indulge in trash TV, go to the gym and work hard then go for breakfast or coffee and cake, laugh and cry on the same day. Stay in bed all morning, or get up early.

All of these things are perfectly fine, they are all part of what you are doing to keep you going.

Allow yourself to feel your feelings and flow with them, ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Both serve a purpose, sometimes they’re a lesson, or a warning sign.

Sometimes they’re the best mistake you ever made.

If you put your trust in yourself and give yourself breathing space to see past the ‘bad’ and into the ‘good’, what results is balance.

This balance I am still working on to this day and I often need to remind myself that I am only human.

To start my journey I had to first accept that the ‘good’ accompanies the ‘bad’.

The balance between what is considered good and evil.

As I started to practise acceptance I realised that the ‘bad’ isn’t something I should be afraid of.

I decided it was time I used it as a sign that good things are coming, better even.

Because I know that there is always balance and it can always be restored.

On the good days I am working on what I do every day to keep the balance. Including watching trash TV and eating cake, sometimes at the same time.

Who cares, about the calories or productivity, it’s productive for me if it helps!

Over time and after a lot of tears it slowly became an unconscious pattern for me because really it is all about self care and listening to what your body is saying.

On bad days, I am able to rationalise that these feelings are part of my journey and I know there is something good at the end.

I feel my feelings, challenge them and listen to what my body is telling me.

If it’s telling me to eat chocolate, who am I to say no?

I have to say, on rare occasions it telling me to go for a salad instead.

Accepting and loving the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’ minimises the negative impact parts of life can have on you on a daily basis.

Balance can help make experiences less overwhelming and equip you to tackle them head on with positive reinforcements.

Treat yourself with kindness, love yourself and let your life flow towards balance.