7 Habits of Highly Effective People are habit principles you can use in most aspects of your life. I learned this from teacher and author, Stephen Covey who taught from his principle book: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
Planning events is all about habit creation that builds confidence for the next event!
I can’t think of anything more work adrenaline-filled than putting on a moving-part event production. That’s how I felt when I would plan and then orchestrate large events with over 100 guests, where the habits from 7 Habits of Highly Effective People were put to good use.
Setting up event success meant planning milestone meetings with chefs and managers (and plenty of meetings with myself) with a 5 P’s mantra: Proper planning prevents poor performance.
That’s not a personal mission statement, but it’s a success value statement. In my event planning, I learned many powerful lessons that can be applied to personal change and growth.
On event nights, the party starts at the ready time or at least the staff and I have to be ready.
That’s when we know whether the prep work laid out hours beforehand pays off with a successful event. And this actually starts weeks and sometimes months in advance by planning menus, setup, and details with planners and chefs.
Each event is like its own wedding event even though it may have fewer mini-events and agendas.
The first two habits (of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People) always took center stage to anticipate changes:
1. Be proactive
2. Begin with the end in mind
During the parties, when there were too many moving parts, being in the moment, keeping focused on the guests, gauging the temperature of the room, and checking in on the party host (be proactive) was part of event success (begin with the end in mind).
And in your daily life, you probably don’t plan events (or not in a live event space today anyway)…but most of us plan our daily event schedules.
So most of us are planners. On the calendar, you can (and may already) practice be(ing) proactiveand begin with the end in mind habits.
One effective way is, if you only have an activity that requires a bi-weekly (or bi-anytime) habit… and to succeed with those tasks, you could fill the non-weeks or time with another activity so that your mind has to search for the “either/or” activity.
If you don’t create a weekly placeholder activity then you could unintentionally forget/skip the bi-weekly intended one. The mind needs a replacement to substitute.
If it’s an every other day activity, then you could fill that same activity time for another activity, that follows a daily habit (or the habit stacking concept most of us have come to love and know from the more recent Atomic Habits by James Clear).
It’s much easier for the habit to stick (and for consistency to happen) when you have an “automatic” method programming your mind.
That’s easier and in event planning, that’s the “you got this” feeling in event planning when you’re on top of everything and proactive. You’re not writing everything down in those critical seconds needed to make a decision.
Most professions have these “make or break” moments. For a surgeon in a hospital emergency room, if the doctor has to look up procedural answers then, that’s not a good sign.
And in event planning that I know, being reactive with situations is crushing and it can be a snowball effect where the plates come out late or cold. And there’s a complaint about the room temperature and drinks.. and in those humbling times, you can’t wait until the end of the event, that’s only a matter of time.
To get to the proactive level takes planning, proficiency, and experience that creates confidence. And that starts from building consistent habits.
Consistency is the end-all, be-all that builds progress, and confidence and works for every important habit that I can think of at least. You consistently follow a habit. And when a better habit idea comes along, you replace that habit.
But consistency isn’t without downfall. It can be at odds with creativity, so consider looking at them as the yin-and-yang, or the sugar and the salt in baking that give the balanced spice in life.
And using solid principles like that from Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People can improve your effectiveness.
They can help you in life’s productivity and also deeper areas like finding your life’s purpose, a proactive choice that can easily get los in life’s busyness and commotion of what’s seemingly urgent but not important to you.
You’re headed in the right direction when you keep developing yourself and pivoting. You keep practicing new skills, putting one step in front of the other and looking at your compass.
The Universe is constantly guiding you and offering an invisible hand to help you and give you a hand up.
The healthy and growth mind set knows that a re-route is to help you move up in the climb of your life and get off the roller coaster ride.
If you begin thinking with the desired outcome end in mind, then your process in the middle is improved when you set your eyes on the end goal.
You can better Ready, Fire, and Aim.
And when you stay focused and open to feedback using habits #3 and #4 from seven Habits of Highly Effective People:
3. Put first things first
4. Think win-win
These days prioritizing what’s important is more blurred than in the past.
Most of us live a double life to some degree with our digital lives and real lives, so putting first things first (habit #3) is not the easiest thing and can be complex.
Both lives are authentic. Your sweet spot is what makes you stand out and the skills that you’re good at that are relevant.
The biggest competitor you could run into for a win-win approach (habit #4) can be yourself and your moods (we used to blame much more on others). We’re now a more openly aware and collaborative society.
Being able to give is a gift. It’s a win-win.
There’s a cosmic exchange when you give your energy away in optimism, and then the world dances. When you give your time (service) or money (generous giving), that can also create buzz and impact for your endeavors.
When you can start looking at how you fit in the world, not selfishly, but what you can give in the abundant overflow you’re given in personality, gifts, and talents, then you can grow to your highest and best use purpose (habit #2).
In self-awareness, then you can create a continuing growth environment (kaizen is the Japanese word in business terms) for you and others around you (habits # 5-7):
5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood
6. Synergize
7. Sharpen the saw
“You have two ears and one mouth,” I remember Author Stephen Covey saying in his workshops.
Listening is more importing than talking.
Habit #5 summed up: Hearing, selective listening, and active listening are 3 different processes. The first is naturally automatic, the second is tuning in/out when multi-tasking, and the third is focusing, taking notes, and coming up with unique ideas from what you heard in your frame of reference and experiences.
In my event planning days, if a client had an issue, it was best to listen to them, then give them available options based on what they communicated (habit #5) and let them decide which options to take (habit #6). Seasoned event planners know how to do that every time, and let those dialogues roll off their tongues (habit #7). And that way the client felt in charge and if things didn’t go as planned, then they owned part of the outcome. That’s the behind-the-scenes smoothness in event planning.
And that helps in most ways when you work with others. If you fill them in with communication nd what you’re up to, there’s a greater chance they can fill in and help in ways you wouldn’t even know how, now.
Habit #6: 1+1=3 or synergy is exponential growth that happens when you have collaboration. And when you keep adding/evolving collectively to what you’re doing, then you’re getting better. By default, you’ll avoid the things you didn’t like or “been there done that,” and keep seeking newer, better ways for yourself. That leads to growth and…
Habit #7: Evolved learners focus most of their time on the present moment and not on the past or future that hasn’t happened.
They know where they’re at and that the past brought them to where they are today. And without the past, they would not have learned (from their history) what they need to do to improve.
And when you get out of the negative emotions of that headspace or focus on the happy memories, you can feel good and alive.
When you can reflect, you can see why things happened and how they helped you even though it didn’t seem that way when you were learning the lesson.
Everything happens for a good reason (believe that!) and sometimes that takes a little longer to realize… and, at every turn you are gaining a little more confidence in who you are becoming.
And you gain a clearer vision for the future and better strategies that you can better evaluate from time to time.
In events, dessert were always a must. Baklava was on the Mediterranean-Lebanese restaurant menus. We didn’t make baklava in-house, but you can with this low-sugar recipe. 🥮
Easy Phyllo Dough For Baklava Dessert (Mediterranean Olive Oil Healthy)
Make phyllo dough from scratch! It's not as difficult as it sounds... and dare I say fun!
Course Dessert
Cuisine lebanese
Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets
Equipment
pasta machine maker
Ingredients
2tbspolive oil
1cupflour
1cupwater
pinch of salt
honey
chopped nuts
dates, orange, and cinnamon (optional)
additional bench flour (to prevent sticking)
Instructions
Making phyllo is a lot like making homemade pasta, but much thinner.
Make a mound and a hole in the middlle where you can add the olive oil and slowly add water. Knead for about 5 minutes and then form a dough disc. Let rest.
Roll out as thin as possible and then you can slip into the pasta maker if you have one, adjusting until you get to the thinnest setting (e.g. 1). It will look opaque but the hope is that there will be no holes.
Cut into strips that you will use as layers for the baklava.
For the baklava, you can brush honey and top with chopped dates and nuts (walnuts or pistachios work well) on every other layer if you make 7 layers ending with the top layer with honey and nuts. Sprinkle each layer with cinnamon and orange zest if you like (good for Ayurvedic Vata balancing!).
Balanced living and wellness is the best way to live a life worth living.
That’s what people discover after they’ve hit rock bottom or they’ve run ragged for long seasons.
When you reset to your calm and whole equilibrium essence, you find your life meaning, purpose, and happiness now and in this season.
That improves mental health that’s delicate to protect for longevity.
If you live every day busy and stressed, even if it’s doing the thing that lights you up and gives you purpose, like owning your own business or being the CEO in your household, you can still feel burnout.
If you don’t develop a strong enough reason WHY for what you’re doing, then you can gradually feel unhappy because you can be missing the meaning piece. Why does the business or my family give me purpose?
Getting to those deeper reasons, you can find it has nothing to do with security or a sense of belonging as you could get those from a solid work career or a community of friends.
It could be more about spiritual alignment, personal growth, and discovering more of who you are.
If you were a rose flower, even during blooming season, your intact delicate petals could become brittle, and fall off under wind-blowing conditions.
But if you knew your purpose and greater giving impact was to be naturally beautiful, fragrant, healthy, and alive, and that your inner beauty helps to spread love to your environment and the world, then you would be able to embrace chaos and changing environmental situations.
You can get your unique raison d’etre (reason of being) when seeking meaning and purpose this season which requires your focus, mindful space, and deeper thought.
Quiet time, introspection, and journaling can bring that wisdom out of you.
If you are body-mind balanced in balanced living, then you can tune in more acutely because when you’re healthy you can do infinitely all that you’re capable and willing to do in alignment.
A healthy body-mind provides the starting foundation for your inner wisdom to grow.
To be healthy, it’s important to find time to soak in what your body is conveying to you in each season of your unique life and take time to nourish your naturally resilient but unique body.
The one and only body you will get and can transform if you wish. A simple daily task of moisturizing your dry skin (the largest organ in your body) can be a healthy body-mind exercise especially if you’re a Vata and have those tendencies.
You could stop to smell the roses daily and sense all their pretty features like bright and pastel colors… subtle rose scents (great for a judgmental mind)… soft and silky smooth texture …and balanced intricate design.
In those mindful moments, you can connect with yourself, and realize how you can make an impact in your life and others this season of life… Time you will never get back. Losing time can be a motivator (Your Why) as it has been for me.
Before I was conscious of body imbalances, I didn’t realize I had fallen rose petals from lack of self-care attention. I may have noticed random petals and brushed that off as nothing.
Had I been more in tune back then, I could have adapted and thrived better to my seasonal situations to keep the petals blooming.
And I would’ve reached my higher frequency instead of survival mode in a modern rat-race work life. You can miss out on fulfilling years of personal growth and finding your whole self that way.
Looking back, I went through the motions. In the season when I had a Kapha imbalance, I couldn’t get myself up an hour earlier than I desired and accumulated more than one of everything.
When I had a Pitta imbalance, I noticed acne in new spots and was more critical than usual.
Multitasking BTW is the epitome of a lack of mindfulness.
Out of living balanced, inconsistent symptoms show up, such as accumulating body weight, feeling impatient, being withdrawn or slower than usual.. and so much more!
When I learned how to restore my gradually stored up appearing imbalances, then I had a new framework and perspective for tackling all that I wanted to do in a loving way and productively.
More importantly, being the person I wanted to be (…and you can too!).
You could be fully aligned with the creative flow (even if you think you’re not creative or in this season). You gain clarity and laser focus (and feel unstoppable, and not starting and stopping).
You can be your super-productive self while still enjoying some of the uneventful days of this season. They don’t matter in balance.
Finding unique joyful activities you love can help to prevent burnout. And proactively learning how to naturally restore your body-mind balanced self and balanced living is how you can start to be your healthiest self (and the best rose in your life).
Each year can be your best year because you make the most out of it and see how what you did brought you to where you are.
Encouragement for today… you every day feel better than the day before if you proactively look for how to intervene and get those wholesome perspectives and wisdom.
If yesterday wasn’t the best, you have a low bar to surpass today. If yesterday was great (hopefully it was) then today you can follow in those footsteps, and also keep trying new things. You keep going and growing.
As busy humans, we have complex lives. One day, we can be pivoting, and the next day looking for more happiness in our lives while handling the necessary tasks in the here and now.
Some of our specific situations can sometimes leave us feeling drained, tired, anxious, worried, annoyed or irritated. If you feel any of those symptoms, you can do something about it.
Your body and mind imbalances can change from season to season and can show up in many ways. The mind and body keeps memory and score.
As part of this season, I hope (and challenge you if that’s what you need!) that you will take time to find your specific purpose, meaning, and take some extra balanced, self-care time out.
6 Productive Take Time Out Activity Ideas For Balanced Living (So You Don’t Burnout!)
Every day, try and choose at least one of these “time out” activities that can be for 10 minutes or more per day. If you only have 5 minutes, then take those 5 minutes.
If you feel guilt about taking time away from whatever your busy list is (work, family, etc.), recognize the feeling, and reason with yourself that this prevents you from burning out in the long run.
When you come back to your busy life, take note that nothing significantly earth-shattering has happened. The more you can record evidence for that, the less guilt if any, you can feel. And then you also gained quality time for yourself, and you feel healthier and happier, and the people around you notice.
Breathing time. If you can’t remember the last time you paid attention to your breath inhale and exhale breathing, then you’re probably too busy to be mindful and too busy this season. Be intentional and come back to it for your health and balanced living.
Break time. In between busy activities, take short breaks to get mindful, Doing laundry, making a snack, pouring water, and looking at nature or a plant that’s moving or growing as you read this and go about your regular day, can be satisfying to a balanced body-mind. If you feel tensions, then something could be off.
Use mind space and relaxing your body, as your break time theme. You could be standing up, taking a walk, or sitting on the deck, and watching the world go by, looking for productive future thoughts to enter. You can start with something you look forward to. If you find yourself pacing or your mind is racing, step outside into new surroundings and air.
Silent time to get a peaceful mind. Have moments in the day where it’s completely quiet in your surroundings, or you put on white noise or a quieting headset.
Let ideas pop into your head. This means not watching the television.
This means tuning out the sounds from your immediate world that can come from another room.
You can meditate, but I suggest keeping your eyes open so you can take a look at your surroundings for inspirational ideas.
“Me time.” I grew up in a decade where it was a less sensitive world than today. People weren’t as aware or empathetic.
Taking “me time” sounded selfish to others, but then our society became more open to the idea that when you practice self-care and self-love, you have more love to give to others (time, space, and forgiveness).
Thankfully living in a more transparent world frees you to be a better you.
If you find pride creeping up, you can have a daily intention or practice to be grateful.
Find gratitude time. Pause and think of a few moments this week that you’re grateful for.
Write them down in a journal or on the back of a temporary envelope if that will help better solidify those temporary memories in your mind.
You can do this while you turn on the news. With sad headlines, you can have deeper compassion, and that helps you find gratitude, meaning, and contentment in your life.
This can improve your daily happiness and feeling good about what you do have and how you can contribute and make an impact to serve and help others.
Gaining an internal and grounded perspective can keep you feeling peaceful and in control, instead of living an up and down daily roller coaster lifestyle based on the highs and lows going on in your life.
If you’re feeling frustrated or defeated:
Find organize task time (or time to piddle around and tidy up). If you feel overwhelmed or are unwinding from the day, doing mindless tasks can feel good and be productive.
You can use this time to also catch up on podcasts or listen to music to get calm and back to your usual self.
If you have more time, you can do a rainy day project like organizing a file, bookshelf, or drawer. Make it fun.
You can create a good memory by stuffing a good ‘old photo, some stickers, or memorable words you write on paper, and add them to your project.
When you’re done, you’ll feel better for your small, but mighty in your mind daily achievement. That can be all your mind needs to relax and get back to the mood you want.
And in the future when you pick up the tangible memory you just made, that can put a smile on your face again. Small tasks can make big differences.
Have a good (no, have a GREAT) balanced living week!
Short on eggs, you can make this easy recipe in 3 minutes.
Course Breakfast, brunch
Cuisine American
Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets
Ingredients
1tbspblueberries, frozen
1/2cupoats
1/2cupmilk or plant-based milk for dairy-free
1tbspwhole wheat flour, plain flour, or gluten free flour
1tspneutral oil
Instructions
Mix ingredients and add to your medium hot waffle maker. This is a liquid-y batter. Add more oats to fill in if it becomes too liquid in spots. This is a very forgiving recipe and great for lazy weekends!
Cook for about 3 minutes or until easy to pull in one piece off the waffle iron with a fork.
Flip the bottom for the top as often that's better cooked.
For healthy version, dust collagen powder on top instead of powdered sugar.
Heart and soul is a part of our bodies that we can’t see, but we can feel daily. Pizza is heart and soul food (recipe below for making a heart shaped pizza 🧡).
A daily heart and soul-centering check-in can change your life! You could be an old soul or have an old soul like some of us who remember young life before the internet.
…I remember when I first started out working and ambitiously I thought I wanted to climb the corporate ladder. It didn’t take many years before I shifted my priority to wanting better work-life balance.
And with those intentions, I career pivoted that gave me that outcome. But had I not picked my head up to see what my heart and soul was telling me (and now I know my spirit was helping me), I would’ve missed the message about finding time to work on me. Personal growth was something I had to go outside of work to find in volunteering and discovering myself.
It’s never too early to start checking in. Maybe now is a good time to set this priority in your life as you had to rethink parts of your life in 2020, along with everyone else (so you’re in good company!).
There were many external changes made affecting your life, that you had no control over, and may help you later on in ways you may not see how yet at this moment.
So for now, you can just keep going, growing, and focusing on creating the best that your life offers in abundant possibilities that you put intention to until the next step. There’s always a next step when the timing is right.
It’s better to think this optimistic way and joyfully pivot into your forming newer overall life, including work, relationships, passion, and purpose, so you can enjoy the process with greater ease (and not create unnecessary dis-ease or woes-me feelings).
That doesn’t mean you don’t have varying feelings with so many gray areas and small decisions you need to make, but that you’re finding your happier way now in the process (and possibly then seeing through a different lens than the one you may have been previously looking from).
I provide a lasting impactful way to do a heart and soul check-in, further below. ⬇️
Encouragement: Our Society, You, and Your Gained Ideas
In America, convenience is at our fingertips, and many of us started last year to positively lean into our interests, curiosities, and skills development.
You may have learned how to grocery shop differently, cook meals, bake your own bread, and learn new digital skills as a way to communicate with the rest of our virtual world and the local community.
You picked up other life skills that everyone needs so you could stay relevant.
You may have even discovered or rediscovered a few passions and hobbies, and read more books than you sought out originally to do. Those were some of the common gains for many of us.
All was not lost in our home life, and more has been gained (and is being gained) in our overall lives if we choose to focus on the higher lens way of living.
It’s helpful for you to reflect and personally remind yourself of the progress over perfection you’ve made, so you can stay feeling uplifted in your spirit. It’s too easy to get sourly influenced in our culture.
You can be less on guard, open up to your authentic self and reap the benefits in a new era where we’re all finding our way in many ways.
Over the past year especially, you may have changed some lifestyle habits or behaviors that you like, that work better, and that you decide to keep forever.
And you may have gained clarity about what you want in the next chapter of your life. Even though you wouldn’t have done this if you weren’t challenged to do so. But you can use your situation to your good advantage!
You may even have found the better way, and experienced that good changes in your life can show up as a combination of thinking, doing, and feeling what is right for you. You get internal clues and they can help you find your second or next act.
If you took or take your connect-the-dot lessons one step further, you can reflect on how you felt about what you first thought about specific ideas. You can then take another brave leap of action so you can try and replicate best practices and discover even more new ways, as our world is evolving. This creates innovation and gives you a better way of doing things.
For example, you’re inspired to try a new recipe and that seemed to work out and made you happy, so the next time you tweak the recipe and create something new and different that you enjoy. This works the same with a new workout, new route, or a new passion project you’re developing. Variety and innovation keep you making progress!
And that’s how personal growth attitudes and creative progress are fed and can seep into every fiber of your life if you’re open to new ways and ideas.
New ideas can take time to form in the process and as you start dabbling with curiosity, you can become less intimidated to make mistakes. That’s how you grow and learn.
In this forming introspective way of life, you can also dig deeper into yourself to find what gives you more meaning and joy than what you previously found made you happy, as you become more of who you are and will become.
You can also reach higher levels of contentment and then feel fewer emotional ups and downs.
Many positive changes can be happening all at once in this complex life, with yourself and your life.
You may have even re-thought your life’s retirement plans and this year’s optimistic and realistic plans. And you’ve probably learned to be more grounded in reality and to get back to simple basics, focusing on what actually is happening to you and around you.
As a global society, we’re still not able to freely travel and create safe, live events. From these changes, new ways have been born and are birthing, such as the newer apps where you’re entering live global event conversations safely and without travel hassles.
You could use the saved travel time and energy to work on your life, to double down on a new purposeful trajectory, or seek a new mission in your life.
Just one idea can change your life and if you have an extra few minutes, that could be the difference-maker in your life.
So where would you spend those extra minutes? Here’s what I do and what I suggest.
Prioritize a Daily Heart and Soul Check-in
Especially as we’re all distracted, prioritizing a heart and soul check-in can be the best way to (re)focus on your life.
Retirement financial guru David Bach is known for “The Latte Factor” on how to save money. Maybe you saw him on Oprah as I did back in the day?
Fast forward years later, he went from burnout to sabbatical living. In hindsight, he now calls a sabbatical “the magic pill” to happiness.
He mentioned in interviews that it all began when his wife asked him what he wanted for one of his birthdays, and he expressed a desire for full-time off from work.
And so that’s just what he did, although he still had to convince himself to get off his busy work train.
Taking time off in a restful sabbatical isn’t a common practice for Americans. There aren’t too many role models to follow. Retirement after 60 and beyond is still the American norm.
Like David Bach, more go-getters in the prime of their career are opening up to this approach to a healthier lifestyle to recharge somewhere in the middle, make life impact changes, and gain clarity about their remaining life’s path.
We all want to live our Best Life, but not all of us do what we need to fully live because we’re not given a road map so we end up playing it safe… staying in the same career or corporate work path with golden handcuffs and benefits, despite being miserable.
Future uncertainty can be uncomfortable to those who want their lives fully planned out, but as I (and you too probably at least in this past year) experienced, life throws monkey wrenches in the mix if you’ve been around long enough, and you can question what this life is really all about.
…and maybe you’ve had those types of questions swirling in your mind lately that you’ve been wrestling with?
If so, you should consider taking a sabbatical if you’re in a place where you can or you all of a sudden, find that you deeply need one to restore your mind-body. It’s not a cop-out, it’s a smart move in case you need to wrestle the idea with the logical side of your mind.
The trend is moving this way. Kids who are just becoming adults are acceptably taking gap years from college. And if you worked in corporate in 2008 with the economy dip, you most likely made a work change, maybe entered a different industry as in 2020 and the aftermath, where we all had our work changed and life turned upside down.
Someone wise ahead of me ingrained this idea that never left me: “Your entire life is a transition.”
So then with that lens, I’m happily entering my fourth act. And depending on your age, you’re probably at least entering or considering your second one (along with almost half the women in the workforce according to survey data).
When I was in college, and it took me 5 years to graduate, that was a big deal in my mind. I questioned why I took a year off after a few semesters of working and attending business school full-time.
During my gap year that wasn’t the usual way, I stopped and learned how to create a business (the reason that you would think you go to business school but most like I did, graduated and entered the corporate workforce).
What I wanted most that I didn’t want to admit to anyone including myself was I wanted deep rest. And that semester off test-taking I got off sleeping aid pills. I got off the hamster wheel and avoided burning out.
Back then, I was already creating a different way of life of taking breaks because my body was calling for it. And now in more aware times, my mind was too.
Similarly, a mid-life sabbatical idea is a pretty darn good idea for recuperating. It can be a lifeline even though it still has a bad wrap. If you’re a well-known author and speaker like David Bach, you can do it because you’ve earned it. But if you’re like most of us or the person trying to make ends meet, then you’re still justifying, like I had to.
I had to lean in and switch into abundant thinking and what I would gain over what I would lose.
And when the call inside you grows louder, the idea can grow more intriguing, and that’s when you know you have to seriously investigate!
You may just need some little sign or nudge to get you to take the step. Or you may just need the right timing or feeling to show up again. In my case, I knew I had more to lose if I didn’t.
You are where you are because of your choices made.
And because of my sabbatical choice, I wouldn’t have traveled to so many great places and countries before 2020. And I wouldn’t have discovered my real passions and purposeful direction in this life that isn’t the corporate path I started on.
I’m not suggesting that’s what you have to do or to be irresponsible. I would never say that as I believe in accountability and personal responsibility. I’m super practical. I’m also led by what I feel is happening in my mind-body-spirit. You get to discern and decide if that’s what is right for you.
From my sabbatical journey, I can tell you, if you follow your internal loving (and not fearful) guides, you won’t be led wrong. Any short-term losses you think you may take, you will gain so much more for your life. Because you’ll pivot into something greater that you would not have uncovered without taking the time off. Your perspective will change and you’ll want to re-strategize your life.
Plus you’ll have all the great memories that you can relive for more years than starting in retirement. (I love looking at sabbatical photos and reminiscing about my vacation and time-off).
But besides good memories, you will gain productivity from resting. You won’t know the individual rewards you’ll gain until you take the bold leap.
When should you do it?
I think I described it above, but the short answer I would give is: when you can. You’ll know when you can’t!
Especially if you’re burned out from your job, have life overwhelm, life underwhelm, considering a career switch, or get laid off, now may be a great time (to eliminate life in burnout to sabbatical living that you didn’t choose on purpose… that can leave you de-motivated instead of feeling excited and energized).
Or maybe you have a deepening desire to explore something new in life and that is winning over any fears you have for taking a risky and unknown bold step towards your future, despite questions from loved ones you may receive.
One other word of nudging encouragement to take the proactive bold step… free yourself from feeling like you have to please others (or be a martyr to do it for others). Your life and mental health are at risk, and if you lose yourself in the process, then you have nothing to give.
A mid-life crisis is a real phenomenon that still exists and can come falling like a ton of bricks. It often sadly ends with regrets and not the way it started.
I didn’t experience that (and maybe that’s because I took a sabbatical) but I’ve seen it in others’ lives and maybe you have or will too.
Sometimes it’s just easier when things happen to you that are out of your control, so you can more easily explain your decisions. You lose a job. You get a divorce or another loss happens.
You can find your lost soul, your higher spirit, or a new mission on a sabbatical.
Personally, I love that the sabbatical idea is catching on in our work-addicted society, especially after a shocking 2020 year where we all had to rethink and redo old ways.
Maybe now is a good time for you and you’re looking for encouraging supporters to take a sabbatical. And maybe I’ve piqued your interest, then you’ll want to keep reading as I share more from my memoir and ideas that can help you… Continue reading “From Burnout to Sabbatical: Recharge and Change Your Life”
Mind-body types knowledge helps you in your life. The body keeps score and you can learn how to get your Ayurvedic body score to optimize your life, help you build your holistic practice, improve balance and mental health, and find your purpose.
In 2008, I went through Deepak Chopra’s Perfect Health Program in Carlsbad, California that cost me more than any vacation I can remember. My reward has been a life changer, as I’ve used some of the life skills every day and still to this day, over a decade later (and you can use to help balance your body type).
I believe everyone can use this helpful body type information for enriching their whole life, including better health to slow aging, modern holistic practices that can be done at home, balance, finding passionate work and more creativity… to name a few ways.
How I Discovered the Program:
I was personally struggling with remaining angry emotions from a stressful, uninspiring corporate management position I had just left.
Some roles aren’t the right fit, and there was one in particular I held after a line of unsatisfying work that mildly put was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
You could be good at your job and hate your job. That’s how I felt, so I left that position (but my story had a good ending as a new role was created for me at the same company).
Hating the one position I held led me to strong irritated feelings and heat throughout my body. I felt moody, out of sorts, and off (my usual) balance. I hadn’t started the position feeling that way.
I had small fleeting flare-ups with internal anger throughout my adulthood, but never this strong and for so long, that I could clearly isolate myself from one work situation and place.
This is how I came to delve deeper into learning about the mind-body connection (that has since grown in national awareness).
I had to do something pretty immediately, as my daily quality of life was affected. I knew I needed to find a permanent solution to help me deal with my stress-related and unhealthy burnt-out feelings.
I also knew I needed to attend something deep and experiential to have a change and lasting impact. I was looking for a hands-on solution that provided skills I could use throughout life, for preventative reasons.
I had already been following Deepak Chopra’s teachings through books and audio.
While researching, I discovered his Perfect Health Program that is based on Ayurveda (life science), an ancient 5,000-year-old scientific method of determining health and wellness through the mind, body, and spirit connection. In essence, the healing power of mind over body.
The concept of the mind-body connection is, if you have baggage (in your mind) that you’re holding onto from the past, that can translate to disease and disorder.
Cardiologist Dr. Dean Ornish in the Lifestyle Heart Trial proved that 48 advanced heart patients could reduce fatty plaque deposits blocking coronary arteries with their healthy lifestyle changes (exercise, yoga, meditation, and specific diet).
Ayurveda and The Perfect Health Program would take Ornish’s breakthrough study and apply principles to any disorder.
Deepak Chopra had been reporting Perfect Health approach successes for over a decade before his book Perfect Health (The Complete Mind Body Guide) was published. Many thousands of others had gone through the same Perfect Health Program I attended.
Perfect Health Teachings:
For my situation, to help get me back to a calm equilibrium, I performed yoga and silent meditation for the first time through the Perfect Heath Program.
But the most valuable information I learned was about the mind-body connection concept (and how my previous approach to balancing life, preventing disease, and other health issues, was more about external activities than internal wholeness).
To begin to learn about your current mind-body status and balance your mind-body type, it’s critical to know there are three Ayurvedic body types (called Doshas).
They are Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Most people dominate with one Dosha (but we as humans all have traces of all three Doshas).
It’s easy to remember as wind, fire, and earth (or the rock-n-roll band Earth, Wind, and Fire if you been on the planet as long as I have 😊).
I’m a pure Vata determined by body frame, weight, eyes, complexion, hair, joints, sleep pattern, body temperature, feelings under stress, and temperament.
The human mind and body communicate and sends signals to each other that result in your (human) action, characteristics, emotions, and health problem tendencies related to the Doshas.
For mind-body type, you can have a single, double, or triple (all 3) dosha(s).
It’s more complex than 3 body types (as we are).
Vata types typically act in indecision, bounce back and forth working on multiple activities, are extremely forgetful, feel anxious and worried, and have mood swings. Health issues can range from stomach, insomnia, and anxiety issues.
Pitta types can act hard-charging, or get easily stressed, angry or irritated. Health issues can range from severe heart attacks to mild heartburn.
Kapha types typically act easygoing, calm, and can be resistant to change. Health issues can range from depression to sinus or chest congestion.
Before attending the program I read Deepak Chopra’s Perfect Health(The Complete Mind Body Guide) that the Program was based on.
I realized that I naturally have a Vata Body and Pitta-Vata Mind combination.
Usually you have 1 of 3 body types. Mind is more complex.
Enter The Deepak Chopra Perfect Health Program Solution:
At the Chopra Center, I took a self-scored test and discovered my Pitta mind-body imbalance was off the charts, that needed correcting and counterbalancing (also called “pacifying a dosha”).
That discovery came as no surprise based on my symptoms.
That explained why I could jump on the littlest thing, and why I could feel actual heat emanating from my body.
These symptoms led me to desperately seek help.
There I also attended classes, health consultations, detox cleansing, and received dosha-specific massages.
I also tried group meditation and yoga for the first time.
Yoga is good for all body and mind-body types (and not just Vata).
Yoga, btw was just catching on the brink of mass appeal popularity in America.
A few participants in the same classes I attended had developed fibromyalgia, a musculoskeletal pain disorder.
They were also primarily Vata body types so they had limitations in what their bodies could do at the time.
This condition led them to seek help. I realized those with a disorder also could benefit from a mind-body connection solution.
Since they had a primarily Vata imbalance (that was also their dominant body dosha type), they received warm blankets during their massage.
That sounded so comforting nice to me, as it was chilly weather outside in the wintery season.
But, I had a different imbalance (Pitta) for my Vata body.
With different imbalances happening at any season of life, there are better balancing and holistic practices even for the same body type.
That’s an important point.
To calm the fiery heat condition I had, the outside patio doors were opened for me in my experience in the middle of the cool winter, while I was laying down on the cold massage table in Shavasana (Corpse Pose).
That’s what my imbalanced Pitta mind-body needed (and all heavy Pitta mind-body types need) for imbalance restoration. It felt odd because my brain was sending the message: I want warm comfy blankets (like my new Vata body friends told me about after their experience and before mine).
Similarly, a hot steam shower sounded good (fitting for the season) but would have made my imbalance worse.
From the program I learned, I could help restore balance again with some of the following healthy changes and additions to my life.
I started these things right away:
Sounds: Turning off loud sounds, and deliberately listening to light and calming sounds like classical or relaxing music. Silent meditation (restful awareness) would have been good except I had lists running through my brain that I didn’t know how to silence as an inexperienced meditation beginner.
A typical balanced Pitta mind has a get things done attitude. I already learned I had a partial natural Pitta dosha mind, so having a Pitta imbalance was adversely affecting my mind.
Smells and Foods: Adding foods to eat that were sweet, bitter, and astringent (and drinking relaxing chamomile tea which is not usually one I like). I gravitated to rose-scented candles. When they burned sandalwood incense in the Wellness Center’s bathroom, I was drawn to that scent that calmed me, while that same scent repelled others who needed other scents to pacify their other specific imbalances.
I could barely smell orange scents that a balanced Vata Dosha type, normally would gravitate towards. The same principle applies to and explains why certain perfumes and colognes smell better sometimes than other times.
I took a variety of natural herbs specific to the program and for my specific situation that helped with restoring balance and heat in my body (to lower my internal thermostat).
Exercise and Activities: Jumping in a pool in the middle of winter would have been great for me… as would ice skating and other wintery cooling sports. Hatha yoga became part of my weekly balance regimen (usually good for anyone at anytime).
Other types of yoga would be also exceptionally good for other balanced body types like hot yoga for cool body types like Vata and Kapha. Or rest and relaxing yoga classes for Pitta body types.
With simple daily lifestyle choice tweaks I learned and then made at home, I noticed my heated body and feelings of strong irritation started to disappear gradually.
And so, here’s a process you can take to learn more about how to live healthy for your specific mind-body Ayurvedic situation (our different body types):
You’ll learn (for free) what your primary dosha body imbalance (Vata, Pitta, or Kapha) is in this snapshot moment based on your situations, stressors, or season that can be different than your natural body dosha tendencies.
You’ll also get suggestions you can print out on how you can begin to counteract and restore your imbalances back to balance.
The information is so revealing and can be life-changing (as it was for me).
It’s also fun as you get to learn new lifestyle enhancements and tweaks that will benefit you and your health your entire life (and wish you knew sooner).
You commonly can have a different mind imbalance (than body imbalance). Like a Kapha mind imbalance with Vata body types is common that creates misalignment.
And you can be “tied” in the highest mind imbalance score, which means you have 1–2 mind imbalances (it’s rare to be tied in all 3). The same applies to body imbalances (e.g. balance your body type). Don’t let that intimidate you.
Just focus on the ones that are the highest scores. The idea is to lower those. For example, I had a score for Pitta Mind, so that was one I needed to work on.
Remember there’s a direct mind-body connection and correlation, so both are important.
Your imbalances will naturally differ at various times in your life.
That’s why learning the skill of how to get balanced is helpful for various seasons in your life, and especially when you’re feeling something is “off.”
Getting back to balance allows you to:
Let your authentic body-mind nature shine through.
Live the positive aspects of your authentic body-mind nature.
Downplay the (seasonal) aspects of your body-mind nature holding you back.
Step 2: How to Apply This For Your Life
After you know the primary dosha imbalances you have, then for starters, make the following lifestyle modifications. You should overall feel good about your taste, smell, sound, and activity modifications.
Many people have a Pitta imbalance (like I had) since many people have demanding, and stressful jobs especially in the Western world.
These are a few changes you can make for each imbalance.
Pitta: If you’re irritated/angered, listen to classical and light music, smell scents like sandalwoods, and do yoga.
Perform cooling activities. If your Pitta imbalance is strong, being cool/cold in the winter will still appeal to you (defying logical tendencies).
Vata: If you’re anxious/worried, then listen to music without regular beats.
Have an orange-scented candle near you and perform a varied motion activity like Tai Chi.
Kapha: If you’re feeling tired/lazy, then listen to heavy music and loud sounds like classic rock-n-roll.
Smell scents that wake you up like evergreen firs. Perform heavy workouts or exercises.
Deep yoga breathing exercises can really help also especially if your stress is in your chest.
Hopefully, you understand the process and some starting ideas on how to begin to counteract (pacify) your imbalances.
By discovering your imbalances, you can help prevent undesired daily moods, negative emotions, and health issues later down the road. You can feel peace when you balance your body type.
The sickness you should seek to avoid is the one that you are most prone to, and that is indicated by your prakruti.
Step 3: How To Take Your Newfound Mind-Body Types Knowledge And Find Your Passion Work and Purpose
You can also apply this information above to discover your passion and purpose work (and by default, the work that would drain you and not be a good fit).
Inspired by how else I could use this valuable information, I creatively discovered this on my own.
I got out of positions doing unenjoyable hum-drum work using my skills and experiences that I was not passionate about. At these unfulfilling work choices, I questioned the impact I was making.
So one day I started creative(ly) writing. I did an experiment with this specific season where I was doing fulfilling writing work.
While writing regularly naturally feels like passionate work and I feel relaxed, I had a high Kapha Mind with a slight Pitta Body imbalance (that’s one of the mind-body imbalance combinations that can happen with any of the body types).
Kapha is not usually a strong imbalance for me. Having a lesser imbalance (lower score) would have been the best result, but having a Kapha imbalance was better for me than the other dosha imbalances.
Recall, my typical body disposition I was born with (Prakruti) is Vata (of the 3 body types), and my mind is usually Pitta-Vata.
When I was most stressed and went to the Perfect Health Program, I had a Pitta mind and body imbalance.
Any type of work that could make me feel anxious/worried (Vata tendencies) or angered/irritated (Pitta tendencies), would be the most stressful and worst combination for me.
Hypothetically, if my score had indicated a Vata imbalance during this time that I pursued fulfilling writing work, then I would likely have been severely or doubly anxious, forgetful, indecisive, etc.
It could have resulted in some kind of dysfunction or deepening health issues later down the road.
As in most cases, there were lifestyle factors not accounted for (like what I was doing during the hours I wasn’t working in the 168 hours per week).
For the most part, I did not have high stressors in my life.
I also took this similar inspired body balance quiz in the winter season, which is typically a heightened imbalance for Kapha, as it’s commonly associated with cold season and resisting (hibernation) tendencies.
Taking those additional factors into account, writing was not hurting my overall balance.
I further confirm it was helping my overall feelings (of satisfaction) when I write.
Similarly, you can find or come close to discovering your sweet spot passion work by figuring out if your imbalance is acceptable.
If you’re stressed and have a high Pitta imbalance that could be a tell-tale sign that you may not be doing activities that are good for you.
Before this knowledge, I had been looking at finding a balanced life, completely differently.
Previously I sought work-life balance, working flexible hours.
That’s part of the balance, but that doesn’t include the type of work you do, and loving what you do during those 40+ hours.
Now I look at balance as doing passionate work that enhances life. Then having a fulfilled life outside of work, to have them blend together.
That seems to be the trend as many companies are trying to make the workplace more like the home and optimizing wellness for optimizing work-life balance and that helps balance body types.
For example, yoga offered at workplaces.
To optimize what I’m doing, using the Kapha Mind imbalance I have as an example, I do the following to help myself out…
Exercise and Activities for Kapha/Pitta Mind-Body Types:
Sounds: Listening to loud music can get me going (Kapha mind). The opposite, calmer sounds like classical music (piano or jazz) are good for Pitta. Sound vibrations are primarily first picked up by the brain, but then permeate into the body cells (mind-body connection).
Exercise: Cardio work out. Since my Pitta body imbalance is low, the Kapha mind is the pacifying remedy I need to seek most. So rather than cooling down exercises, I seek high activity.
I discovered an easier, non-scientific (intuitive) way to learn your imbalances after you know what to look for.
Scanning Your Body Method (For Your Best Health, Life, and Work):
Besides scoring for body types, you confirm any dosha imbalances with how do you feel? And what is your body telling you?
Feeling body sensations and moods, deep breathing restoration, and creating space in your mind are a few ways to gather information.
For example, if I want to do cardio work (as I feel energized) and I don’t want to jump in a pool, I can confirm naturally (through my mood, thoughts, and feelings) that my Kapha imbalance is higher.
After more practice, you can become an experienced Dosha/imbalance detecting pro or your own Dosha expert, knowing which imbalance you have as it becomes your natural way.
You learn what your body and mind need by being attuned and internally sensitive to your mind and body needs by your actions and reactions…
Are you anxious or worried over everything and anything (Vata)? Are you irritated or anger easily (Pitta)? Are you accumulating things or lazy (Kapha)?
These are giveaways and natural health signs. You can see signs throughout your day to day if you know what to look for.
Third Benefit For Seeking Balance:
The information you’ll discover about yourself can be used to balance your body type, and find your healthiest and highest and best use purpose work. All of this can help you from aging.
There’s another third benefit I discovered in finding your balance.
You can get deeply creative. When you’re in your happiest pure joy, then you can get in the flow. And get in your mind to exceed capabilities beyond your ordinary.
Through the Perfect Health Program, I realized that balance and stress reduction includes meditation (to become aware of the present moment). Getting rest awareness during this time helps with clarity when you’re in the real world. This can also be achieved through intentions in yoga.
Takeaways For Mind-Body Types:
#1. Overall Health and Balance Starts in Your Mind to Balance Your Body Type
Good health is preventative and not just from what I eat or intake (vitamins, herbs, etc.). Mindfulness is important for reducing stress which reduces aging. I’m able to find peaceful moments more often, where my mind is calm, and content on good and bad situations, recognizing that’s part of the journey.
I’m able to be in the moment in activities like creative writing and yoga.
Finding my best work can reduce the negative sides of my natural Dosha tendencies, where I could be anxious, worried, irritated, or moody.
I learned that my Fibromyalgia classmates had formed this disorder because of past emotional hurts that needed healing (starting out in the mind).
I was able to let go of childhood wounds that were holding me back. I had to be mindful and distance myself from myself as a child. I was able to imagine a younger me (from a photo image I had) and comfort her, telling her everything is okay now and forgiving my parents. That took the weight off my shoulders. I was able to heal and restore my mind and body.
That brought me back to internal balance (for authentic whole balance). This came from more than just participating in various external activities (that I previously thought was the solution).
# 2. Balancing My Natural (Vata) Dosha Restores Me (and balancing your dosha restores you):
I can take anxious and worried energy and exchange for peace in yoga and meditation intention.
I can make the right choices easier. Since Vata is my primary dosha, it’s easy for me to be naturally indecisive.
But I can refer to the knowledge I learned when I’m out food shopping, buying a candle, or music. Before I go to the store, I’m purposeful about what I’m looking for to help balance me. This saves time from making decisions and reduces trial-and-error.
I have fun confirming what I know about my current body imbalance, sniffing candles and spices. I don’t make too many mistakes of buying or trying the wrong thing and then having remorse. I can answer the question: What does my body need?
# 3. Finding Contentment and Peace As A Better Way of Living (Over Anger and Irritation)
From learning about how to reduce my imbalances and centering (in yoga or mindfulness), I can better keep myself feeling peaceful and calm. That’s the ideal way to be.
I’m not fluctuating, up-and-down, and dependent on my life circumstances to bring me happiness.
I’m not making decisions based on moods.
I’ve learned to be content and never again feeling like I’m riding an emotional roller coaster (happy/sad) despite life’s twists and turns. In my opinion, that’s the best part of what I learned from my experience.
It’s empowered happiness.
I hope you can discover and get a glimpse in your mind or life, to anything that may be holding you back, so you can be emotionally free, present, and restore balance. Then, discover your passion work and creativity where you have freed up space.
A daily heart and soul-centering check-in can change your life! You could be an old soul or have an old soul like some of us who remember young life before the internet.
