6 Ways To Find Balance + Summer Mixed With Fall

close up of style blogger naty michele wearing a denim skirt with a belt and oversized cardigan Finding balance is something that I have struggled with for longer than I can remember. I’ve always gone to extremes on both ends instead of meeting somewhere in the middle. I focus so much on work and building this business that I completely forget to take care of myself. My social life becomes non-existent and I find myself feeling completely stressed, lonely and unhappy.

OR, I focus so much on getting back into a healthier lifestyle, making time for friends and putting myself first that I start to take more and more time away from my work. How do you balance out everything? After major trial and error, I’ve finally gotten to a point where I’ve been able to give equal amount of time to everything. It’s still a work in progress, but each day I’m getting better at it.

Keep reading for 6 ways that can help you find balance! I hope they work for you the way that they have been working for me. 
style blogger naty michele wearing denim skirt with a belt and oversized cardigan
style blogger naty michele wearing a camel oversized cardigan Set Daily Intentions- It all starts with YOU! Waking up each day with a specific purpose has done wonders for me lately. I would wake up knowing what I had to do for the day, but that’s not the same thing as setting specific intentions for yourself. I’ve had to be very clear in terms of how I want my day to go and what I want to accomplish, both personally and professionally. It’s not just about what you have to do, but more so about how you feel doing each of these things.  This has helped me release some tension and stress with my daily activities.

Stop Procrastinating- I have been the queen of procrastination since high school. It’s how I’ve always been wired. The older I’ve gotten though the more I’ve realized that this has become such a bad habit. It’s a huge reason why I have felt constant stress and why I think I don’t have time for everything. Here’s the thing. I do have the time, I just wasn’t managing it in the best way. I’ve been tackling this by waking up earlier and getting a head start on projects instead of waiting until the last minute.

Give Yourself Alone Time- Whether it’s 10 minutes in the morning for meditation and journaling or 20 minutes in the afternoon to go for a walk or sit in a coffee shop, try to give yourself a little bit of alone time every single day. Maybe you have to get up a little earlier in order to do this, but just know that it is possible. This has helped me so much both mentally and emotionally. Sometimes we get so caught up in what we are doing that we neglect taking time for ourselves. This is essential for peace of mind and lowering stress levels.

close up shot of style blogger naty michele wearing an oversized cardigan street style shot of style blogger naty michele wearing an oversized cardigan with a denim skirt and beltDon’t Forget About Your Health- This is a huge one for me. There would be days when I would go without eating breakfast and lunch. Weeks would pass without me doing a single exercise. I was going to bed later and later. The more this continued, the worse I started to feel about myself. Now, I make sure to get my workout done before noon. I won’t go on email until I’ve eaten breakfast. I give myself time in between shooting, writing, connecting with brands, meetings, etc. to eat lunch. I’m being more mindful of how I take care of my body. It’s only Day 12, but what a difference it has made for me physically, emotionally and mentally. I’ve learned that the better I feel about myself, the easier it becomes for me to do everything else.

Focus On Your Relationships- It’s true that people make time for the things that they care about. Don’t get so caught up with your own life that you start to neglect the people closest to you. I hate to admit that I have been guilty of this before. It only takes a few minutes to send someone a text. Try to get on the phone with a friend at least once a week to catch up. Set aside some time, even if just an hour, to meet a friend or family member for coffee or lunch. Make plans for “girls night” once a month where you and a group of friends can spend some quality time together. Do what you have to in order to keep those connections strong.

Disconnect- This is crucial. Whether you do it for a weekend, one full day or just a few hours, make sure that you disconnect from the Internet once in awhile. I’ve been doing this more on Instagram lately and it’s allowed me to focus more on ME and the people closest to me. It’s so easy to get completely consumed in social media. We constantly want to see what everyone else is up to that we don’t realize the way it affects us sometimes. For my own peace of mind, I’ve had to take a day here and there to be completely silent.

What are some ways that you find balance each day? Share them with me in the comments below! style blogger naty michele wearing a denim skirt and oversized cardiganclose up of style blogger naty michele wearing an oversized cardigansyle blogger naty michele wearing a denim skirt with oversized cardigan

 

Outfit Details 
Cardigan: Who What Wear x Target [old, love this one] | Denim Skirt: H&M [similar] | Cami: TopShop [similar style] | Shoes: Aldo | Necklace: Bauble Bar | Belt: Zara [very similar]

 

Switching gears, let’s talk style!

I get seasonally confused every September. I’m craving to wear fall pieces, but with this current heat, I’m forced to still dress for summer. As we slowly transition into fall weather, I’m all about mixing items from both seasons together. Afternoons here have been extremely hot, but it does cool down a bit as we head into the night. I really love the combo of a denim skirt paired with an oversized cardigan. It’s perfect for those days where you’re getting a mix of both warm and cool temps.

Oversized cardigans are such a versatile staple that I love having in my closet this time of year. I’ve actually worn this particular one several times before and you might remember seeing it pop up on your IG feed last year. It’s one of those pieces that I will continue styling until it’s unwearable. 🙃

For this particular look, I wanted to give an equal mix of the seasons. The darker lip shade really screams fall to me and the ankle strap sandals are my way of holding on to summer a little bit longer. What are some of your favorite things to wear in this transitional phase? Leave me a comment below and let’s chat!

 

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  1. Liv

    Great tips for this transition time of year!

    Liv

    livforstyle.net

    • Naty

      Thank you, Liv! xo

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