A Work Life Balance

They say you must surround yourself around people you aspire to become. My Chiropractor, Dr Adrian Couzner from Chirosports is one of those people. He has his bases covered in all areas of his life and has simultaneously managed to work out the perfect 'Work Life Balance'.  Adrian just launched a Facebook page dedicated to just this, he aims to inspire and empower people to take control and achieve this. I am intrigued by this concept and I decided to ask Adrian a few questions about it!

What are your top 3 tips for a good work life balance?

1. Find a vocation rather than a job, that way work is never about at ends to a means, it’s about your calling.
2. Have a values list and live according to your values  That way, life will feel completely congruent.
3. Health is everything, without it, nothing else matters.  So work on it!!

What are your suggestions for a stressed or overworked person?

•  Come to terms with the fact that somewhere deep inside it makes you feel important, significant and needed to be that overworked/stressed.

•  Make sure you look after your health.  Sleep, energy and your immune system will be the first to suffer if you don’t invest in your health.

• Spend time doing things that connect you with your values, that way you will feel more inspired and energised to get back to work.

•  Get yourself a mentor, someone who can guide you through this patch. (check out my facebook page Work Life Balance).

 What are your tips for a successful marriage?

• Share similar morals, beliefs and values.

• Communication is the key.

• Be a better listener.

• Have fun, make each other laugh.

• Kids come second, partner comes first.

Is there someone in your life who inspires you with their work life balance?

I think positively or negatively we develop our perspective on the world firstly from our parents.  I was lucky enough to have amazing parents as my role models.  As much as they both had professional careers, I always felt like they were there for us and that they weren’t slaves to the 9-5 routine (that’s what we called it in the 80’s).  My parents juggled with ease their work, family, sports, friendships and most importantly their relationship.

How do you recalibrate?

There is nothing like kids to bring you back to the real world.  

A few short minutes can bring you back into focus real quick.  But for those who don’t have kids, I think you need to rely on your values list and do things that connect you with your values.  That way you are living to your highest purpose.  For some that is health, family/loved ones and for others it’s travel.

Where is your favourite travel destination?

That is a hard one…..I’d have to say Greece.  It has amazing scenery, history and culture.  They love family and food, which are very important to me.  They also have picturesque islands and beaches, where life is all about the simple important pleasures.  

Tell me about a time where you followed your heart and went against grain.

My career was taking off and I decided to take a break from work and go on a 6 month adventure with my new girlfriend (now wife, Simone).  My head was telling me to continue building and establishing myself in the Chiropractic world, but my heart was telling me to go have some fun.  Often we are crippled by our thoughts of what we are losing, rather than the potential for gain.  Despite not working for 6 months and spending all the money I had saved, it solidified my relationship with Simone and well the rest is history as far as that is concerned!!  It by no way slowed my financial success either and it definitely broadened my horizons.  The heart is always right!!

More about Adrian...

Dr Adrian Couzner has been a Chiropractor for 20 years and more recently a Work Life Balance advocate.  He runs 2 successful Chirosports clinics and the facebook page, Work Life Balance.  He is a husband and father to 4 children, Finn, Ocea, Cy and Tay.  He originates from South Australian and now resides on Sydney’s North Shore. 

Those closest to him have looked on with envy as he juggled running 2 Chiropractic clinics (himself consulting with over 140 clients per week), managing his family commitments and still approaching life with a calm, yet energetic passion.

For more information on Dr Adrian Couzner, go to www.chirosports.com.au or on Facebook. 

Ignoring the FOMO

So I have mentioned before, I am a modern-day gypsy, I love change - actually I thrive in times of change. I also find these times incredibly taxing. No matter how many times I have moved houses, jobs or travelled from place to place, the idea of change enlivens me, the process of it can stress me, the novelty of a new change really opens up my world but then...I crash. Maybe the novelty wears off a bit and this is where I am at right now. I am in the midst of living in the shade of grey. There are so many possibilities of where I could go next. My head is busy. Although I am feeling exhausted, my head is toying with the many possibilities and options I could pursue until the early hours of the morning. I may be relying a little too much on caffeine to keep me fuelled. I may be trying to distract myself a little to much and not allowing myself to really feel what I need to feel.

Yesterday, a dear friend sent me a link to this article, by Sara Rodriguez that really spoke to me:

"Some might see her as cold and distant, because she needs a significant amount of alone time to keep her from feeling scattered and spread so thin that she disappears. Sure, she has family and friends with whom she loves to spend much of her time, but it’s in her nature to crave those precious hours of solitude—being only with her thoughts, completely alone in a crowd or in the vastness of a quiet scene".

As an introverted being, I totally relate to this. My alone time, is my time to recharge and recalibrate...I have been getting better and better in giving myself time to do this. Yet, I also find that I can get easily caught up in being everywhere, knowing everything and doing everything. It catches up. I hate missing out on things. Yes, I did open up this paragraph telling you I am an introvert, but that doesn't mean I don't also enjoy my social gatherings. The problem is though, when I try and be everywhere, know everything and do everything, I end up running on empty.

Maybe missing out on things can be a good thing too...

Many people have asked me in the past if I grew up in the country. In many ways I did - suburban/country though. During my trip to and from primary school, I saw cows, rolling hills, tractors, farmers. It was no concrete jungle. It's easy to get caught up in life when you get older. So after reading that article about the need for solitude. After work, I decided to go for a run in the most beautiful, picturesque park down the road to energise me. I ran in the rain amongst the rolling hills from my primary school days and it made me feel alive. I headed back home and for the first time decided not to blast Spotify. I am writing right now to the sound of a multitude of cicadas, a few light planes flying overhead and the distant noise of the sounds of the church nearby. It is so peaceful. So uncomplicated.  So what I need right now.  So while life is happening and there are many things I could be doing or reading up on, I am happy just being. Being in my own company (and the cicadas too).

The in-between

I am writing this right now at the dining table back at Mum and Dad's. Today I packed my beachside studio up and moved my belongings back home. Again. My family have gone to Europe, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to not be renting for a bit. I came here with such mixed feelings. I really grew to love the area I was living in, walking distance to the beach, close to friends. All I need to do is just see the ocean when I am waiting at my bus stop in the morning and my day is set. Life was good. Especially over the past summer.

But, I have also been itching for a change of space. That is no real surprise to me, I have moved a lot over the past few years. My family don't live close to the seaside at all, so I really wasn't sure if this was the best decision. I realised today as I started settling in, this is just where I need to be. Although, it feels so bizarre that there is no-one around to chit chat with, it doesn't feel like an empty house at all. It is my sanctuary. Always has been. This place has seen Mum and Dad as a young couple, till now having had us four girls grow into women. I had such a peaceful afternoon siesta, did my yoga outside and watered the garden. It actually feels like a retreat. It is quiet, all I hear is the sound of the birds chirping. I forgot how peaceful it can be here.

I plan to use this time to reassess, recalculate and also get back on track with life. After a crazy kick start to 2014, it feels like it is time to take a step back, somewhat of a 'quasi-hiatus'.

Having studied Ayurveda extensively and knowing how season changes can really shake me up - especially during this time of year. Changes can spin me into a whirlwind and I often start to feel pangs of anxiety about the year ahead. I know that this is time for grounding and to start up some new routines to make this in-between, grey period feel manageable.

I know by the end of this little pitt stop, things will be clearer. I really don't know what is next, I have ideas of what could be next! I have a love/hate relationship with the unknown, but I would rather put myself in these moments of icky, in-between, then to settle into life that doesn't nurture me to continue to grow. 

Livin' la vida loca

Tonight I was meant to be on a date. I cancelled. I just wanted to go home and just be. This past week, life has really thrown me around in all directions, quiet literally. Today is my first day of just being. No running around from one place to the next, just a simple day. I just wanted to go home after work and cook, recalibrate and regroup after a whirlwind.

In the space of a week, I had an amazing long weekend up in Byron Bay with the girls, reigniting the inner gypsy in me. We had a ball eating our way around the town, hitting the beach, having our palms read by an interesting man on the street and of course some retail therapy. We then returned to real life and I was getting ready to embark on a non-eventful few days ahead.

Just when you think you have a good grasp on your life, surprises can come out of nowhere.

That's what makes life exciting! On Thursday afternoon I was spontaneously invited to attend a health  industry professional event in Melbourne by a person in my life that I call my real life Guardian Angel. The ticket was available and it had my name on it - if I wanted it! Oh my, I went into overdrive. There was no way I could say no. Before I knew it, I was in Melbourne, immersed, inspired, still pinching myself that I was there. I was surrounded by people in the industry that I really admire and respect. I relished every moment. 

In between all of this, I was actually having pretty serious dramas with someone at my work place, I wasn't going to let it derail me or burst my bubble...no way.

It occoured to me that sometimes you think that you may be lacking something in your life and then you come to realise that what you want or yearn for is actually coming your way - you just need to be open to it!

My trip to Melbourne was short, yet sweet and unforgettable. Dashing off my flight from Sydney, I then headed to an amazing afternoon at a networking event by The Relauncher, again surrounded by like-minded souls, I felt like I was bursting at the seams with energy and inspiration. I had a pitt stop home for sleep and then a road trip down to Canberra for work for two days.

From Byron Bay, to Sydney, to Melbourne, back to Sydney and then to Canberra!

My dear friend asked me today if I missed galavanting around. We haven't known each other for all that long, but she does know me so well.

I get bored easily and love change, so I thrive instances like the past week, with everything happens at once and you really just need to ride the wave. I also realised that I need to ground myself as much as possible during those times, so I tried as much as possible to not get to out of whack - whether it be jumping into the ocean, exercise, walking through a beautiful park, drinking a great cup of tea and just enjoying the present. And the reason why I am home tonight and not on a hot date :)

Some weeks can go by with nothing significant happening, almost forgettable and then others, like this past loco one for me, will be etched in my memory forever.

A modern-day gypsy

The last few years have seen me travel to some amazing places throughout the world. I often refer to myself to a modern-day gypsy, I thrive on change, moving and exploring. So in 2013, I made the conscious decision to stay put. No big, grand plans to conquer another place. It was a hard concept for me to grasp, but I can say this with the benefit of hindsight now, after travelling through Bali and India the year before I needed time to regroup. I put myself through so many life changing experiences, it was time to make sense of it all. So after a trip to the Gold Coast hinterland for a few weeks in February, I didn't enter the airport again until this last weekend. It was a long time, I needed this break, but I was getting withdrawals. I won't lie, there is never a time that I don't drive past the airport, see a plane in the sky or when I hear a travel story, do I yearn to get back onto a plane to wherever life wants to take me.

It is funny, that the very thing that makes me feel free and alive can also unnerve and unsettle me to the very core. I learnt that I can be a tourist in my own neighbourhood and still feel the joy I experienced when exploring the globe. Realising that I can tap into these core feelings, here in the comfort of my own city and that there are ways to feel this all the time was a huge 'ah huh' moment for me. So for me, living and breathing a beach lifestyle has made me feel more alive than ever before, going on road trips and simply being around people who energise are all activities that conjure up the same feelings I get when I travel.

Not that I am placing any lesser value on travel, I think it is essential to my growth and development and I hope to travel for the rest of my life. This weekend I set foot on a plane again for a few days away up in Byron Bay with the girls. The inner gypsy in me became reignited. Such a short trip, yet it meant so much to me, being away from your bubble really gives you the capacity to see things in a different light, my inspiration was on over-drive. 

 Stories to tell, experiences shared, laughs and giggles, time seems to be cherished so much more when you travel.  

      Good times in Byron

I have come back home recharged with energy and zest...and maybe some more travel ideas to start looking into!

Twenty seconds of courage

During my magical time in India, I spent a few months in Mcleod Ganj. This is the town where the Dalai Lama is based and there is a huge Tibetan refugee community here. I arrived in the town not really knowing what to expect. I didn't really have much planned when I first arrived in the country and when I was trying to work out next steps, I kept referring to my bible sized Lonely Planet and for some reason I would always open up the page to this little town. As soon as I arrived, I completely fell in love. Everything fell into place for me quiet quickly. What I initially planned to be a three week stay, turned into just over two months. I loved the small town, with 3 main streets, life was so insular and simple. I went to study Ayurveda in the mornings, would catch up with friends and then I would go to work at the Rogpa Baby Care Centre in the afternoons.

There are many westerners coming and going throughout the town. Many coming for the Dalai Lama teachings, some come to learn yoga, many come and volunteer. There is a lot to do for everyone. It is such a melting pot of cultures with your obvious Indian influence, meshed in with a strong Tibetan flavour and every other culture combined together. This was the perfect combination for me, as I was able to meet people from so many diverse backgrounds.

One morning, while I was enjoying breakfast in one of my favourite cafes, I was reading one of the many books I had picked up on Ayurveda. A much older lady came into the cafe by herself to eat breakfast too, she was seated in the table opposite me and came over to me to start chatting about the book that I was reading. It happened that the lady knew the author and there started our instant connection. I asked her to join me for breakfast. Meeting kindred spirits makes my heart sing. I think that is why I travel so much, you tend to meet them when exploring the world. We had a lot in common. It was nice. 

I always find it funny how you can connect with a person you just met, tell them your life story, your hopes and your fears without any qualms in the world. 

She sat and listened attentively to my story. I sat and listened to her in awe. I call her a guardian angel. I never saw her again. But the mark she left on me, will always stay with me. When we parted ways, she left me with these words of advice

All you need is 20 seconds of courage...

The sun can rise and set in the matter of a few minutes. Enough to turn darkness into light. We too can change the course of our lives from our comfort zone to raw, open, freedom.

                                                              A magical Indian sunset 

Today, as I was pondering on matters of vulnerability that have come up in the past few weeks and has left me quiet raw, I remembered those golden words. I went out at lunch to a local card shop and found a card to release all of those words from my heart that just needed to be said. To me that wasn't as hard a deal, as actually putting the card in the mailbox. I almost chickened out, but then I remembered that all I really needed was a few seconds of sheer, brave courage. I have had a few thoughts cross my mind, thinking of how I can somehow reverse this card, maybe I could go and get it from the mailbox before the recipient receives it, but alas it is a bit of a trek. I am more at ease with myself knowing that my moment of courage today has made me stronger and more vulnerable than ever before.

My advice to you, is to do whatever it is that freaks you out, whatever it is that you have been analysing again and again, do what it takes to go beyond that. No expectations. Just sheer courage and strength.

Born to be...wild

Much of my teenage and adult life has been spent getting my mane in order. I have very thick hair (as every hairdresser reminds me - trust me, I know!). I had a very bad hair cut when I was back in primary school, got teased so badly about it, so as soon as I was old enough began styling my hair myself. Over the years, I have chemically straightened, made my poor mother use an actual iron, blown up blowdriers, spent hours stretching and using the ghd, only to step out and have my hair frizz up at the first sight of any moisture. It takes a lot of time to do, I would have to dedicate a full night in my weekly schedule to getting it right - dead straight in my eyes.

As I started exercising more intensely at the end of last year,  I realised that my precious attitude toward my hair wasn't going to work anymore - something had to give. I needed to really assess what was important. I decided I could let go of the regimented hair taming. I embraced the natural kink, wave, curl - whatever it is. This was a big change for me. My hair was always perfectly manicured, now my hair was big and bolder than ever and I love it...why hadn't I done this earlier I thought?

I realised this was my form of control. I was trying to make my hair something that it wasn't. Like with many things we do. It got me thinking even more, how free I felt and how much less stress I had just embracing what I already have. Yes, I still stretch and tame my hair once in a while, but not all the time. How many times do we in our own lives, try to conform, to stretch, to hide who we really are for whatever reason it is? How much does it grate against who you are, yet you still push, even if it doesn't feel right..free yourself from your self-imposed restrictions and just...be.