Life can be filled with highs and lows, happiness and stress, fun experiences and scary ones. I

personally have many things in my life that make me happy and then in the next instant worry

me to death. Working with teens brings this feeling daily. One minute everything seems to be

going right and the next it blows up in my face and vice versa. Dealing with what comes your

way in life is important, but more than that, it’s important to manage the things in your life that

you can control. Being balanced in all areas of your life can help make sure that the high points

are fully lived out and the low points become experiences that you learned from, not just lived

through.

 

Creating balance in your life starts with creating healthy habits mentally and physically. Below

are some ideas of how to create some mentally healthy habits.

 

1. Journaling gives your brain and heart the opportunity to let go or relive feelings, thoughts and

experiences. Suggestions for types of journaling that I have found works wonders for myself and

the youth I work with include:

a. Awesomeness Journal- Fill it with great things you do every day, and then look

at it whenever you need a boost.

b. Awareness Journal- Answer these three questions every day and see how it

changes how you go about your day. 1. What is something good that happened

during the day? 2. What is something good I did during the day? 3. What was

something that was hard to deal with during the day that I can learn and grow

from?

c. Gratitude Journal- Don’t let the pain and worries of life overshadow the joy.

Write down the big and small things you are grateful for and then elaborate on

them. You will start to see all the joy that’s in your life.

 

2. Meditation allows your brain to get over the cultural ADHD that we’ve been creating by trying

to do multiple things at once. Slow down and let yourself focus on you and what you need.

Types of meditation to try include:

a. Taking a walk- Focus on your five senses. This can help you stay in the moment

and stop your thoughts from jumping and racing around.

b. Dance meditation- Turn on some tunes and cut loose! Surrender to the rhythm

and movement and get ready to release some tension.

c. Breathing meditation- Longer exhales tend to be calming, while longer inhales

are energizing. Do this for a couple of minutes and then jump back into your day

ready to go.

 

3. Random acts of kindness or conscious acts of kindness. Serving others can not only uplift

others but can also uplift you. Ideas for quick acts of kindness include:

a. Leave a note. Let someone know you appreciate them.

b. Intentional physical acts. Give someone a genuine smile, hold the door for

someone, ask someone about their day and then really listen to them.

c. Do something extra that helps someone out.

 

Try these techniques for two weeks and faithfully keep your journal. After the two-week period,

reflect on your experiences and compare your feelings with how they were two weeks earlier.

Then recommit yourself, keep doing these things until they become a habit that does not require

conscious effort. You will then be on the road to a healthy, balanced life.