Overachievers and party animals take note: wellness doesn’t have to be all or nothing. You can find balance between the different aspects of your life.
I’m both a travelling performer and a passionate wellness advocate, which comes with the inherent challenge of finding balance between these two aspects of my life. Late nights and busy travel schedules are unavoidable and go hand in hand with my career – some nights there simply isn’t enough time to get more than a few hours of sleep.
When people think about DJs, they typically think of people who are party animals, people who love to drink and dance the night away. And often this isn’t too far from the truth! I used to spend every weekend doing just that, but over time I realised that particular lifestyle wasn’t sustainable for me, and my passion for health and wellbeing started to grow. I realised that to be my happiest and most successful self, I needed to look after myself spiritually, mentally, and physically.
STRIVING FOR BALANCE
When we talk about balance, it can seem like an elusive concept we constantly strive towards, but struggle to maintain. I get it; balance can be very hard to achieve and it’s something we need to work at every day. It’s not a place that we reach in our lives and can then forget about – it’s a lifelong practice.
We live in a society that promotes productivity and keeping busy, so when we do make time for ourselves, we might feel guilty. It’s time to get rid of that guilt! We can only be the best versions of ourselves when we make time to do the things that light our hearts on fire, whatever that is for each of us. I like to think that we are experiencing a kind of societal shift towards more health-oriented lifestyles. It feels as though more people are realising the power of balance and that health can be one of our greatest assets.
In my career, it is essential to be able to predict what I’m going to need ahead of time. For example, after a busy tour, it’s so important for me to schedule time off at home to rest and recover. I’m a bit of a geek, so I also love writing out a checklist for each day and checking off my wellness intentions as I go. I include things like getting eight to 10 hours of sleep, meditating when I get the chance, eating a wholefood, plant-based diet, making time for friends and family, and exercising in a way that feels right for my energy levels that day.
If I can weave these things into my daily routine, they become habits, and then finding balance doesn’t feel like such a difficult thing to do. If you can find a routine that works for you most of the time, you will be well supported when you do let your hair down.
WELLNESS ISN’T ALL OR NOTHING
This brings me to perhaps the most important thing when it comes to balance. It does not need to be an all-or-nothing approach; in fact, I’m suggesting the opposite. That’s why it’s called balance – finding a mix that works perfectly for you!
I’m a big supporter of the 80:20 rule. What this means is that 80 percent of the time I use my wellness toolkit to creative positive routines, eat well, get ample sleep, and exercise. The remaining 20 percent of the time, I allow myself to indulge. I love to drink wine, eat pizza, and have fun nights out with the girls – all 100 percent guilt free. Let’s face it, partying can be healthy. Sometimes you just really need a night out on the dance floor. There is absolutely no shame in this and I would go so far as to encourage it.
I definitely love to indulge from time to time, but my chosen social activities don’t often involve a sleepless night and a raging dance floor. There are so many ways we can connect with our friends or wind down after a big week. I make a conscious effort not to reach for a bottle of wine when I need to de-stress. Instead, I try to read, listen to a podcast, meditate, or take my dog for a walk. It’s nice to not rely on alcohol for this. We can also get creative with the ways we connect. Find things that you and your friends have in common and pursue those.
A SHIFT IN FOCUS
I had to learn balance the hard way. I ran myself so far into the ground, pushed on by the desire to keep kicking goals and doing more and more. Pushing ourselves to the limit can be destructive and may end up causing us much harm. Yet, from my low point came the greatest inspiration for me to pursue a journey of wellness and balance. So, I changed my life around – changed my business, changed my routines, and created a life that I love. And the funny thing is that when I stopped partying and pushing myself so hard, my career took off and I became much more successful. I don’t think this was just a coincidence.
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If you prioritise your wellness and focus on what you love, I believe the rest will fall into place. And the best bit? You’ll find your beautiful balance along the way.
