living
58 CalmMoment.com
W
hen you’re constantly running, your
health can spiral out of control –
emotionally, physically and spiritually.
The key to caring for your mind, body and spirit
is creating balance that can help you and, in turn,
others around you. Balance is, however, that
magical and sometimes invisible thing we are all
continuously grasping at. If you are anything like
me, balance is the item top of the shopping list that
you always seem to leave at home (the list, I mean).
It’s taken me 38 years to finally remember the
shopping list. I think the most important thing on
that list, however, should be kindness. I don’t just
mean being kind to others, (although, that is super-
important) I actually mean being kind to ourselves- especially when we set ourselves goals (let’s say,
to have more balance) and then we mess it up in
week one, get angry with ourselves and then give
up. I teach ethical entrepreneurship at Le Cordon
Bleu culinary school (cordonbleu.edu) and the first
thing I teach my students is to embrace failure.
Failure is the greatest tool in our possession
because we always learn from it and improve.
Autumn is the perfect time to write yourself a
new list. The hustle and bustle of summer holidays,
kids being at home, entertaining and travelling is
over. The days are getting shorter and hibernation
is getting closer. Why not take this opportunity to
slow down with purpose?
I still have a long way to go, but I have found a
few things really help me to feel like I have two feet
on the ground. Now, let’s start with that. This may
sound silly at first, but having your feet on the earth
is the perfect way to feel grounded. Even if it’s
chilly outside, take your shoes off and try it once a
week. Whether it be grass or turf, sand or soil.
Stand in it, bare feet. Feel it. Breathe. Stop. Make it
a ritual. Routine and ritual are known to help with
maintaining calm.
Say ‘no’. Not ‘maybe’. Not ‘sometimes’. Draw a
hard line in the sand, ‘NO’.
This is where my own quest for balance began –
I would always say yes to the opening of an
Be kind to yourself
Autumn is the perfect time to write yourself a new self-care shopping list,
so let’s take this opportunity to slow down with purposeenvelope. My FOMO would overtake my being.
That, as well as the worry of saying no – being a
freelancer – in case no more work came my way, or
the constant requests to work because ‘it’s good for
your profile’, (meaning do it for free). Saying no to
these requests was powerful, and the best thing I
actually could have done for my career. Seeing
value in my work, in what I offer and in myself, is
mighty. When you see it, others will too.
Try it today. Say no to something you would
normally, reluctantly, say yes to. Maybe it’s that
extra drink after work, when really you would
rather be at home getting a better night’s sleep or
binge-watching Nextflix. Or that extra crammed-in
catch-up – with that friend who isn’t really a friend- on your only day off for the week. Or that bake
sale for your kid’s fete. Will you be the bad mum if
you don’t show up with six trays of freshly baked
cookies every time?
I also find that essential oils are a great place to
start ritual and find balance. Try my really simple
room or pillow spray. For every 100ml of water, add
10 drops of frankincense, 10 drops of rose, 5 drops
of wild orange and 5 drops of sandalwood and a
teaspoon of a natural preservative, like vitamin E or
wheatgerm oil. Spray it in the air or on your pillow
and breathe it in deeply.
While there are many other ways to find balance - everything from meditation to yoga, regular
exercise, eating healthfully, sleeping well and
drinking water can all help – I think you should
remember these three things: start small, patience
is key, and be kind to yourself.
Rebecca Sullivan is an
author, cook, regenerative
farmer, educator and
social entrepreneur living
off the grid in a 90 - acre
eco farm in the Clare
Valley, South Australia.
rebeccasullivan.com.auWords: Rebecca Sullivan / Illustration: Ellice Weaver