Episode 351: Finding Peace in A Stressed-Out World - The Power Of Everyday Balance

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FULL TRANSCRIPT

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Episode 351: Finding Peace in A Stressed-Out World - The Power Of Everyday Balance

Hello, beautiful souls, and welcome to episode 351 of The Everyday Life Balance Show. I'm your host, Pascale Gibon, and today we're diving deeper into the concept of everyday life balance.

Before we delve into our main topic, I want to share some eye-opening statistics about stress worldwide.

Did you know that according to the World Health Organisation, stress has been labelled the "Health Epidemic of the 21st Century"? It's a global issue that affects people of all ages and backgrounds. Let me share some alarming figures with you:

• A Gallup poll found that about 35% of people worldwide reported experiencing a lot of stress in their daily lives.

Now, let's look at some recent figures closer to home here in the UK:

• According to the latest Health and Safety Executive report for 2021/2022, work-related stress, depression or anxiety accounted for 51% of all work-related ill health cases in the UK. That is over half of all workplace health issues!
• The same report found that stress, depression or anxiety were responsible for a staggering 17 million working days lost in 2021/22. Just imagine the impact on both individuals and the economy.
•  Interestingly, the industries with higher than average rates of stress were public administration and defence, human health and social work, and education. You may nod in agreement if you work in any of these fields.
• When asked about the main factors causing their stress, people cited workload pressures, including tight deadlines, too much responsibility, and a lack of managerial support. Does this sound familiar to any of you?

But it’s not just about work. A recent survey by the Mental Health Foundation in 2023 found that 74% of UK adults have felt so stressed at some point over the last year that they felt overwhelmed or unable to cope. That is three out of every four adults!

Perhaps most alarmingly, 32% of adults said they had experienced suicidal feelings as a result of stress. This statistic serves as a strong reminder of the significant impact stress can have.

The survey also revealed that 65% of adults in the UK have felt anxious or worried in the previous two weeks. That’s a lot of people carrying around worry and anxiety day to day.

These UK-specific statistics paint a sobering picture - stress is a significant and growing issue affecting millions of lives right here in our country. And remember, these figures reflect a post-pandemic world, suggesting that recent global events may have intensified our collective stress levels.

These statistics are eye-opening, aren't they? But here's the thing, my dear listeners - while stress may be prevalent, it doesn’t have to rule our lives. This is where our topic of everyday life balance comes in...

You see, cultivating balance in our daily lives isn't just about feeling good - it's about combating this global stress epidemic on a personal level. It's about navigating our fast-paced, often chaotic world without sacrificing our peace of mind and well-being.So today, we’ll explore how everyday life balance can be your secret weapon against stress.

We’ll dive into:

·      What this balance means,

·      How it can transform your approach to life's challenges, and

·      Practical ways to cultivate it in your daily routine.

Now, you might be thinking, "Pascale, we've heard experts say that perfect balance is impossible." And you know what? They are not entirely wrong. But here is the thing – we’re not aiming for perfection. We strive for progress, peace, and a way to navigate life's challenges with grace and resilience.

So, let's break this down and explore what everyday life balance means and how it can transform your life, helping you become part of the solution to this global stress epidemic.

First and foremost, everyday life balance is a mindset. It’s not about having everything in perfect equilibrium all the time. It is about cultivating a state of mind that allows you to find peace, love, well-being, happiness, fulfilment, harmony, and freedom - even when life feels chaotic.

Think about it this way: imagine you are on a boat in the middle of the sea. The waves are constantly moving, sometimes gentle, sometimes rough. Your balance isn’t about making the sea still – it’s about learning to move with the waves, to find your centre even as everything around you is in motion.

Now, let's talk about how this mindset translates into problem-solving. When you face a challenge - and we all do, don't we? - everyday life balance teaches us to pause and ask, "How can I maintain my equilibrium in this situation?" This simple question shifts your focus from the problem itself to how you respond to it. It’s empowering because it reminds you that while you can't always control your circumstances, you can control your reaction.

For instance, if you’re facing a difficult situation at work, instead of getting caught up in stress and worry, you might ask yourself, "How can I approach this in a way that maintains my peace of mind?" Maybe it is taking a few deep breaths before responding to a challenging email. Perhaps it’s stepping away from your desk for a short walk to clear your head. The specific action isn’t as crucial as the intention - to foster balance or peace of mind.

Now, here is where it gets interesting. Everyday life balance is fundamentally about inner work. You’ve probably heard me say this before, but it’s worth repeating: your external environment reflects your internal state. When you nurture inner peace, you’ll see it reflected in your outer world.

Cultivating everyday life balance doesn’t mean that external challenges magically disappear. But it does mean that you develop the capacity to respond to those challenges from a place of centeredness rather than reactivity. It’s like being the eye of the storm - calm and steady even when everything around you is swirling.

So, how do we do this inner work?

One powerful approach is to practise self-reflection. Take time each day - even if it’s just a few minutes - to check in with yourself:

·      How are you feeling?

·      What is occupying your thoughts?

·      Are you holding onto any tension in your body?

Simply bringing awareness to your inner state can be transformative.

Another key aspect of everyday life balance is perspective.

When we’re in the midst of a challenge, it’s easy to get tunnel vision and feel like this difficulty is all there is. But balance teaches us to zoom out, to look at our lives from a higher vantage point.

From this perspective, we often find that the thing causing us stress is just one small part of a much bigger picture. We might even begin to see how this challenge is serving us, teaching us, and helping us grow. It’s like looking at a tapestry - up close, you might only see a tangle of threads, but step back, and you can appreciate the complete, beautiful design.

I want to emphasise now something important: cultivating everyday life balance isn’t a one-time thing. It’s a practice, something we return to again and again. And here is the beautiful part - the more we practise, the stronger we become. 

Think of it like building a muscle. You strengthen your inner resilience whenever you commit to responding to a challenge by seeking balance. Over time, you’ll find that things that once threw you off-centre barely annoy you. You become, as I like to say, unshakeable.

A crucial part of this journey is learning to trust your inner voice. We all have an innate wisdom, a part of us that knows how to find balance even in the most challenging times. But often, we’ve learnt to ignore this voice, to be doubtful, and to listen to external opinions instead. Everyday life balance teaches us to tune back into this inner guidance, trust it and let it lead us back to our centre when we have strayed.

You might wonder, "Pascale, this all sounds great, but what are the tangible benefits?" Well, my dear listeners, they are numerous and profound. When you cultivate everyday life balance, you’ll likely feel less stressed and more grateful. You’ll complain less about your circumstances because you’ll have the tools to handle whatever comes your way.

You’ll also likely find a sense of inner strength that perhaps you didn’t know you had. This strength doesn’t come from never facing difficulties - it comes from knowing that whatever challenges arise, you can maintain your balance, find your centre, and stay true to yourself.

Before we wrap up, I want to remind you of a beautiful quote from James Allen: "Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom." This calmness, this balance, is available to all of us. It’s not about having a perfect life but finding peace even in an imperfect life.

If you desire to cultivate more peace to reduce stress, I'd recommend this transformative tool: my guide, Yes! To Love Success Habits: 7 Steps To Inner Peace, Joy And Happiness. Go to https://www.pascalegibon.com/7stepstoinnerpeace to download your copy.

So, my beautiful souls, I encourage you to embrace the practice of everyday life balance. Start small - perhaps with a few mindful breaths when you feel stressed. Notice how it feels to pause, to centre yourself and choose balance. And remember, every moment is an opportunity to begin again, return to balance and cultivate peace.

Thank you for joining me in this exploration of everyday life balance. Remember, now is your time to transform your life, one step at a time. Have a fantastic week! Until next time, take care, and as always, lots of love and light.