This is a segment that I’ve decided to run every weekend (time permitting, of course!) where I’ll post an inspirational quote and write about it. There’s inspiration to be found in everything, so hopefully this will be something I can continue for a long time.

Life is all about balance. Good and bad, work and play, we need a balance of everything to be well rounded and feel whole. I’m a firm believer in rewarding yourself when you come across something particularly hard to deal with, or if you find yourself being overworked and exhausted. Even just taking a few minutes to go for a walk or relax can make so much of a difference.

Yesterday I found myself vigorously cleaning my house from top to bottom. I just woke up and was tired of looking at the clutter and mess that had completely taken over. During the week I have days where I don’t even have time to sit down and unwind, let alone unload the dishes or take out the garbage. So it isn’t long before I find the place covered in a thin layer of dog hair and unfulfilled ambitions (“I’ll find some time to vacuum tonight, I swear!”) Needless to say, it took hours to clean my house, and I’m not willing to share how many trips I took to the dumpster with garbage bags or recycling in hand. But then at one point, I finally took a look around, and I was done. The place looked fantastic. And despite being completely worn out and drenched in sweat, it felt so good.

Now this might not be the best example, because cleaning itself is quite rewarding. For me it’s one of those instant gratification activities. Not something I enjoy by any stretch, but the end result is always worth it.

I probably should have stopped after finishing cleaning the house. But I was feeling more motivated than usual yesterday, so I kept rolling with it. I did some gardening, went out and bought groceries, took my dog out to the park for a couple hours, and did a few loads of laundry. Which was a lot to do in one day. That and I neglected to balance it out with some downtime throughout the day. And as a result, when I woke up this morning, I didn’t feel well at all. I had a headache and was really nauseous, all because I’d overworked myself the day before. So much so that it had thrown off my mental balance to the point where I felt it physically.

This is why balance is so important. It’s crucial to reward yourself and practice self care. You’ll probably hear me talk a lot about self care in future posts. I truly don’t believe that you can be your best self without it. So when you’ve had a tough day at work, or had to endure something stressful, or even if you’re just not in a good mood, take some time in the evening to do an activity you enjoy. Maybe it’s a glass of wine, or curling up with a good book, or heading to bed early that day for that extra few minutes of precious sleep. Personally, after a long day, I like to sit on my couch and snuggle with my dog and watch Netflix. Just being able to turn my brain off for a few minutes is all I need to unwind before heading to bed.

Another thing to remember is to not judge yourself or others. Everybody has differences tolerances for certain things. What might seem mundane to someone else might be enough to totally throw you off for the day, or vice versa. And that’s okay! That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do something nice for yourself, or encourage someone else to do the same. We’re all unique. Our challenges, as well as our self rewards, are all going to vary from person to person. Just as long as your self reward is something just for you.

So if treating yourself isn’t something you do already, it’s something I highly suggest you start. Not only because you’ve earned it, but because you deserve it. Everyone deserves to do little things for themselves that make them happy.

As for me, I started to feel a better after a shower and some fresh air. So I decided to do something extra nice and drive to a local coffee shop for some fantastic coffee and tasty brunch. One latte and a waffle topped with berries (and whipped cream!) later, and all the hectic activities from yesterday are far behind me. Just to play it safe, I’ll probably end up laying low the for most of the day, cooking myself a nice dinner, and relaxing before starting the work week over. Sounds like heaven, I can’t wait!

Just remember: Balance