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We’ve all seen (and sometimes bonded with) the Pinterest quotes and printed tees that say, ‘you didn’t wake up today to be mediocre, or, I’m a queen, I got this handled,’ because yes, we woke up to reach those goals and yes, we are queens (can we get an amen?) But, sometimes (especially this time of the year) we also double tap on quotes like, ‘I’m not an early bird or a night owl, I’m an exhausted pigeon trying to make it through the day,’ right?! Guess what? There’s no shame in feeling like that exhausted pigeon!

Our bodies, minds, souls (and even our vaginas) get exhausted when life gets stressful and unbalanced. Stress has a way of manifesting itself through things like headaches or muscle aches, breakouts, tenseness, changes in your appetite and sleeping patterns.

This is why finding a way to destress should be top of your to-do list to keeping those happy hormones called, endorphins, flowing. Now, we’re not saying take a lazy day every day, but we are saying, take some time to balance all the things that are important in your life and make time to care for yourself often. Why? Because a balanced life means doing things you love so your mind, body, soul (and vagina) are happier and healthier. How can you get this balance? We’ve got a few suggestions:

1. Find your ‘me-time’: As you get to know yourself, you realise what your likes and dislikes are – get to know how you prefer to relax. Whether it’s binge watching series, getting a massage, shopping, getting your nails done, taking a trip, reading a book, having a cup of coffee (or tea) with the girls (or your partner), volunteering at an NGO, or children’s / old aged home you’re passionate about, working out at the gym, meditating, praying, or treating yourself to your favourite meal. Find what energises your soul and then work it into your schedule.
2. Eat well: The types of foods you eat gives you energy, which affects your body, mind and levels of productivity. So, if your goal is to be a boss woman but you’re eating fast food every day for lunch – think about swapping those greasy fries for some greens or a whole grain sandwich, which are slow releasing energy foods, to keep you going faster for longer.
3. Positive vibes keep things alive: In stressful times, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the negative things happening around you. So, take a minute to clear your mind; breathe, go take a 2-minute walk outside and come back focused on providing solutions to a stressful situation.
4. Focus on your happiness: Do things that make you happy and adds value to your life. Don’t apologise for saying, ‘no thanks’ to things you don’t want to do, avoid doing things that makes your soul unhappy. Most importantly, prioritise things that mean something to you – that way you’ll find the balance in your life while staying away from things and people that are toxic for you. Tip: If you sigh when you think about doing something, it’s probably not worth doing. (Also, a great outfit and grooming yourself to slay the day can make you feel energised to take on the world – and girl, you can!)
5. Take care of your vagina and personal hygiene: If you’re in a relationship, responsible sex can be a great way to burn calories and get those happy hormones flowing.

Did you know? Another kind of intimacy to enjoy with your partner is spending quality time with them, or your family and friends, which can be a good way to destress, be happy and add balance in your life too.

For years women (we’re sure you’ve seen it with the generations before you) have always taken care of themselves last, while putting everything else first – we admire these women. But, it’s because of these women from which we learn that self-care is important and should not be neglected. You should not be neglecting yourselves, because your happiness and having a life that is balanced should be prioritised, in order to give more of yourself to others personally or professionally. But, most importantly, do everything you want to do, at your own pace, so you are able to take strength from yourself and work towards achieving your goals even harder! Remember, happiness and success is whatever you define for yourself and so is self-care – just be mindful to do it regularly.

Here’s to all the queens finding their balance and putting themselves first. xx