Hey girl, hey!
Guess What? I’m 31 today! Yeah girlfriend, your girl is getting wiser (ahem...not older), because I honestly believe that you’re only as old as you feel. But with that being said, 31 is that awkward age that reminds you that you are actually in your 30’s now. Like before I could still kinda say I had one foot in 29, but nah… at 31 you’re grown! You are officially (or should be) adulting by this age and I can definitely say it has its perks.
Your 30’s should be where you’re more established, you’re more sure of yourself, and more comfortable in the skin you’re in. And it’s also at this age that you learn the importance of maintaining balance and preserving your energy for things and people that are there to help you reach the pinnacle of being your best self. But I am realist, and I do know that every month, week, or day will not be sunshine and roses. However, it’s during those difficult times that we’ll need to find ways to re-group and re-charge in order to keep our focus on bettering our life and achieving our financial goals. So today girlfriends, I want to share some of my wisdom with you on how you can find and maintain your zen without having to blow your budget! Let’s chat!
1. Meditate. Ever come across someone who is on 10 twenty-four-seven? Like always hyped, always turnt-up, always ready to pop off, and always ready to start and/or finish a fight… Or what about the person who is always stressed out, always emotionally overwhelmed, and always crying and upset because their world is in a constant state of chaos and devastation. There’s no balance, no calmness, no zen…. Here’s the thing… If you’ve never tried the art of meditation, I must say you’re missing out on something special. No one wants to walk around with the weight of anger, sadness, anxiety (or whatever you struggle with) on your shoulders on a daily basis. It’s draining and exhausting carrying around all that emotional baggage with no relief.
But mediation allows you to unload all that junk and replace it with love, gratefulness, and understanding. It teaches you to go from being the person that would go from zero to ten to being the person that goes from ten to zen... because you now know that protecting your energy is worth much more than wasting it on a reaction to a situation that is solely just one moment in time. While there’s no amount of money that equates to finding your internal peace, at least getting there through mediation is free!
Pictured here: Me meditating on top of foggy Machu Picchu.
2. Take a Warm Bath. Did you know that water has some serious calming effects? Because I am a Scorpio (water sign), my mental and physical well-being requires hydrotherapy on the regular. And when I say hydrotherapy, I don’t mean some ultra-expensive spa service, girlfriend. Oh no, I’m talking about… my bathtub! I'll usually throw some bubbles or bath salts in that thang, grab a glass of wine, and tune into my Pandora nature sounds… girlfriend, at that point, you can’t tell me I’m not on the beach of Tahiti somewhere experiencing pure. bliss.
According to a post written by Huffpost, water allows your mind and body to sink into a more calmer, meditative state, while slowing your brainwaves and inducing creative thoughts. So the next time you’re trying to navigate yourself through a stressful life situation, perhaps taking a warm bath will help conjure up just the right positive and creative thoughts to change your circumstances. Plus… it costs you zero coins!
3. Indulge in some much needed Girl Time!
There’s some amazing benefits to having girlfriends that help to encourage and uplift you while still keeping it straight-up with real with you. And no, I’m not talking about those girlfriends that will sit and gossip or talk negatively with you. I’m talking about those girlfriends who will call you out on your bullsh*t in the most loving, supportive way and offer candid advice to help you get through your sh*tuation (yea, I said it).
Let me be honest with you, as much as I love GFB, there have been times where I’ve wondered if it was really worth continuing. Thank God I have my girlfriends who refuse to let me quit on my passion just because the going gets tough. They remind me that anything worth cultivating is going to take time and patience (one major thing in life that is a daily struggle for me). But they push me to be better, to continue to follow my dream, and use my gift of money management to inspire other women.
Because of them, I push through and persevere. If you don’t already, I’d encourage you to find a group of girlfriends that will do the same for you. And the girls that bring all the drama… drop ‘em, you don’t need that kind of negativity in your life... mmkay! 4. Spend Time with Mother Nature. Ya know, I’ve never really been much of an outdoorsy chick, but the older I get, the more time I actually want to spend outside. Being out in the middle of God’s natural creation is one of the most calming activities one could experience. If anything, it’s a serious stress reliever and fully awakens all your senses. While you’re out smelling the clean air, taking in the beautiful sights, listening to the wind rustling through the trees, the water flowing, the birds chirping… it’s then that you have the opportunity to appreciate the more simple things in life. It’s also then when you realize the sh*tuation you may be going through, is actually minuscule when you put it on a grander scale. The facts that you have breath in your body and you woke up today are definitely reasons to be grateful and humble. So find a trail or nature park to walk through on days when it feels like the world is coming to an end. I promise, you’ll have a whole new outlook on life afterwards.
Pictured Here: Me meditating in the Rocky Mountains.
5. Rest.
We women often times have a million thoughts a millisecond going through our brains at once.
“Did I pay that one bill?”
“What are we having for dinner tonight?”
“Did I tell Bae about that event coming up?”
“Am I doing a good job at work?”
“Did I already text Sandy back?”
“Did I forget to pick the kids up?”
It’s like “ughhh, make the thoughts stop already”. We will literally tire ourselves out with all the thinking, and overthinking… putting our brains in supreme overload. And when this happens, it really might be a good time to give that noggin' a break and treat yourself to some serious zzz’s, girlfriend.
Resting your brain and your body can do wonders for your mental and physical health, and it’s a necessary component to finding your zen. So when you feel yourself becoming drained from all the ping-ponging thoughts that are going through your head - take a nap, boo. You deserve it! 6. Get your Financial Sh*t Together! You know I’m always going to bring it back to the mula, right?! I mean… that’s what I do! Girlfriend, if there is one thing I know is a serious mood killer… it’s constantly having financial woes. When you’re drowning in unpaid bills and you've got bill collectors calling you every 5 minutes - anybody in their right mind would be completely and utterly Stressed. TF. Out. But when you have a financial plan and you’re controlling your money through a well planned out budget, you’d be surprised at how much better you’ll rest at night knowing that your finances are in tact, your bills are paid, your debt is under control, and you got money stacking in the bank! So like I mentioned before, finding your zen is all about finding balance in your life, and internal peace in your soul. And once you find that place, your “happy place”, life just gets so much better… year after year. My 31st chapter begins now… and I’m so excited to see what it will bring! Until Next Time, Elle
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