Thank you for joining me for the very first episode of Keeping Balance at Hand. Sharing my journey and lessons learnt in living a balanced life is truly a dream come true, and I look forward to supporting you to live your best, most balanced life.
Today, I’m providing you with an insight into the Balance at Hand blueprint, which is based on the three P’s I live by:
1. Purpose
2. Productivity
3. Preparedness
I believe that to achieve balance at hand, you need all three areas to be working in harmony. And once you get there, that’s where you find the sweet spot to truly thrive.
While determining your own unique purpose, productivity and preparedness sounds complex, it really is a great reference to keep coming back to if you get stuck on where to focus next. So let's investigate the fundamentals of the three P’s together and begin the journey to creating your own special balance at hand.
Connect with Me:
Website: www.balanceathand.com
Instagram: @balance_at_hand
Hello, and thank you so
Speaker:much for joining me for
Speaker:EPISODE 1 of the Keeping
Speaker:Balance at Hand podcast.
Speaker:Bringing this to you is a
Speaker:dream come true, and I am
Speaker:so excited to share with
Speaker:you the lessons I have
Speaker:learned to support every
Speaker:person that wants to live
Speaker:their best balanced life.
Speaker:Today, I'll be providing
Speaker:you an insight into the
Speaker:balance at hand blueprint.
Speaker:The creation of Balance
Speaker:at Hand was fuelled by
Speaker:my own personal journey,
Speaker:and I know firsthand
Speaker:that since I discovered
Speaker:my purpose, combined it
Speaker:with the fundamentals of
Speaker:productivity and preparedness,
Speaker:I have become unstoppable.
Speaker:At the time, I never realised
Speaker:that my qualifications in
Speaker:chemical engineering were the
Speaker:most amplified training and
Speaker:organisation one could have,
Speaker:and this, combined with my
Speaker:design background, has set
Speaker:me apart in understanding the
Speaker:science, logic and art that
Speaker:will enable you to create your
Speaker:own special balance at hand.
Speaker:My goal now is to share
Speaker:this information with
Speaker:you so you can thrive and
Speaker:create your own balance.
Speaker:The blueprint is
Speaker:based on the three P's
Speaker:purpose, productivity,
Speaker:and preparedness.
Speaker:You need all of these areas
Speaker:to be working in harmony
Speaker:to achieve balance at hand.
Speaker:But when you achieve
Speaker:that, wow, you've hit the
Speaker:sweet spot in your life
Speaker:where you really thrive.
Speaker:Before we get stuck into
Speaker:the detail of the three P's.
Speaker:I'd like to provide a
Speaker:really oversimplified
Speaker:explanation of what the
Speaker:three P's are using an
Speaker:analogy of a journey purpose.
Speaker:Having your purpose sets
Speaker:your destination and the
Speaker:direction you're taking.
Speaker:Productivity determines
Speaker:the vehicle you'll use to
Speaker:get there and preparedness
Speaker:identifies what you need
Speaker:to pack and have ready
Speaker:for you for your journey.
Speaker:Many people have one or two
Speaker:strengths in these areas, but
Speaker:having all three aligned is
Speaker:where the magic really is.
Speaker:For example, if you've
Speaker:selected your vehicle and
Speaker:packed, but you don't know
Speaker:where you're going, you
Speaker:aren't going to get far.
Speaker:Or if you have a destination
Speaker:and a vehicle, but you
Speaker:haven't packed, you're also
Speaker:not going to get far either.
Speaker:But when you have all
Speaker:three worked out, well,
Speaker:adventure really waits.
Speaker:So while determining your own
Speaker:unique purpose, productivity
Speaker:and preparedness is a lot
Speaker:more complex than a journey.
Speaker:It is a great reference
Speaker:to keep coming back to
Speaker:if you are stuck about
Speaker:where to focus next.
Speaker:So let's investigate
Speaker:the details together,
Speaker:starting with purpose.
Speaker:Finding my purpose was
Speaker:my biggest challenge.
Speaker:Personally, I found myself
Speaker:increasingly unhappy
Speaker:as I grappled with the
Speaker:question of why am I here?
Speaker:Do I like the job I'm doing?
Speaker:Is this all there is?
Speaker:And what is the
Speaker:meaning of my life?
Speaker:Big, big, scary questions.
Speaker:And I didn't know what
Speaker:I was looking for.
Speaker:I just knew there were heaps
Speaker:of things I wanted to do,
Speaker:but I didn't think they were
Speaker:realistic or appropriate.
Speaker:And none of them seemed
Speaker:to be my purpose either.
Speaker:I found my purpose in a
Speaker:completely unexpected way
Speaker:for someone as serious
Speaker:and methodical as me,
Speaker:which I'll share with you
Speaker:in a future episode that
Speaker:I'm going to dedicate
Speaker:entirely to that person.
Speaker:If you have your
Speaker:purpose already, that
Speaker:is absolutely brilliant.
Speaker:For those of you that are
Speaker:still looking or trying to
Speaker:define it better, consider
Speaker:what is the legacy you
Speaker:wish to give this planet
Speaker:and those around you.
Speaker:I have found a great number
Speaker:of people whose purpose
Speaker:is kindness, and they
Speaker:embody that in everything
Speaker:they undertake every day.
Speaker:Everyone's purpose varies
Speaker:greatly, but consistently
Speaker:I see people with a defined
Speaker:legacy that delivers
Speaker:positive influence to
Speaker:either themselves, their
Speaker:family, their friends,
Speaker:or the broader community.
Speaker:Your purpose is a highly
Speaker:personal thing that you
Speaker:can continue to refine
Speaker:throughout your life.
Speaker:your purpose should be
Speaker:your very own Special North
Speaker:Star that allows you to
Speaker:assess yourself and your
Speaker:personal development against.
Speaker:Under purpose Complementing
Speaker:your desired legacy is
Speaker:your top 10 life goals.
Speaker:Consider this your bucket
Speaker:list of things you'd like to
Speaker:achieve, do or experience.
Speaker:You can have more or less,
Speaker:but 10 seems to be a pretty
Speaker:good number that works.
Speaker:For some people, this can
Speaker:be collecting rare items,
Speaker:climbing Mount Everest,
Speaker:amassing wealth or assets,
Speaker:or having an annual family
Speaker:picnic in a special location.
Speaker:The options are endless and
Speaker:reflect you and your desires.
Speaker:To round things out, In the
Speaker:area of purpose, you should
Speaker:also have a five year plan
Speaker:of how you're working towards
Speaker:achieving these goals and
Speaker:ultimately your legacy.
Speaker:There is no incorrect way
Speaker:to define your purpose.
Speaker:And the great thing is that
Speaker:as you go and progress,
Speaker:you can change your mind.
Speaker:The critical part is
Speaker:setting the direction so
Speaker:you are consciously making
Speaker:decisions for your future.
Speaker:Again, there are so many ways
Speaker:this can be tackled, which
Speaker:this podcast will be exploring
Speaker:in depth with guidance from
Speaker:experts in each area as we
Speaker:progress through the series.
Speaker:Next up is productivity.
Speaker:What are the daily activities
Speaker:you are doing that are
Speaker:taking you towards or
Speaker:away from your life goals?
Speaker:Let's look at organization,
Speaker:which for those who know me,
Speaker:organization is a passion of
Speaker:mine and one of my strengths.
Speaker:This is a really important
Speaker:thing I want to share with
Speaker:you about organization.
Speaker:Organization doesn't mean
Speaker:that you have a sparkling
Speaker:house and a pantry that
Speaker:could be photographed
Speaker:for home beautiful.
Speaker:Organization means less chaos,
Speaker:and this is something I really
Speaker:want everyone to appreciate.
Speaker:Organization means less chaos.
Speaker:Less chaos means a calm space
Speaker:which translates to calmer,
Speaker:happier, healthy people.
Speaker:You are not unorganized for
Speaker:leaving chores uncompleted.
Speaker:Or for having a linen
Speaker:cupboard that demonstrates
Speaker:that you are a Tetris
Speaker:champion, unless they are
Speaker:creating chaos in your life.
Speaker:Organization means you get to
Speaker:work or appointments on time.
Speaker:If you have kids, they are
Speaker:where they need to be at
Speaker:the right time and place,
Speaker:and you have what you
Speaker:need for your day or week.
Speaker:As organized as I am, I do
Speaker:not like to have a schedule,
Speaker:so I don't have them, but I
Speaker:have a general plan of attack
Speaker:for each day, and I know
Speaker:where my obligations are.
Speaker:If your morning has become
Speaker:a routine of chaos that
Speaker:consistently threatens your
Speaker:ability to confidently meet
Speaker:your personal obligations,
Speaker:such as getting to work
Speaker:on time, then I suggest
Speaker:this would be a great
Speaker:area for you to focus.
Speaker:So quick recap, the first
Speaker:part of productivity is
Speaker:to have a plan for each
Speaker:day in the overall week.
Speaker:But I don't like to just
Speaker:get through the day.
Speaker:I like to win the day.
Speaker:Each day you should set
Speaker:yourself three things
Speaker:you need to achieve to
Speaker:make your day successful.
Speaker:For me, I have gone one
Speaker:step further, and I have
Speaker:three personal things to
Speaker:achieve, and three work
Speaker:things to achieve each day.
Speaker:At the end of each
Speaker:day, I note my three
Speaker:things for the next day.
Speaker:And have them visible on my
Speaker:desk, so that I am ready to
Speaker:achieve as soon as I arrive.
Speaker:And the same
Speaker:process personally.
Speaker:At the end of each day,
Speaker:reflect on your day.
Speaker:What went well, what didn't
Speaker:go well, and what are
Speaker:the things you would like
Speaker:to achieve the next day.
Speaker:Achieving tasks each day,
Speaker:no matter how small, makes
Speaker:you a winner each day.
Speaker:And you can surprise
Speaker:yourself with how much
Speaker:you start to achieve.
Speaker:The third area of productivity
Speaker:is short term planning.
Speaker:I plan in eight week chunks,
Speaker:and this is something I
Speaker:learned from the wonderful
Speaker:Shana Blaze, and it has
Speaker:been a game changer for me.
Speaker:Eight weeks isn't too far
Speaker:away that you'll put things in
Speaker:the I'll do it later basket,
Speaker:because eight weeks is going
Speaker:to be here before you know it.
Speaker:But it's long enough to set
Speaker:bigger actions in motion to
Speaker:progress towards achieving
Speaker:your five year goals.
Speaker:Reviewing your eight weeks,
Speaker:including what you need
Speaker:to achieve each week, And
Speaker:then each day to achieve
Speaker:your desired outcome.
Speaker:Overall, the simple process
Speaker:is plan in eight week
Speaker:chunks, then break into
Speaker:weekly progress to achieve
Speaker:your eight week plan.
Speaker:And then each week break
Speaker:that into daily goals.
Speaker:This will take a bit
Speaker:of time to get used to.
Speaker:However, once you've got
Speaker:it in practice, it becomes
Speaker:easier, faster, and something
Speaker:you'll become quite proud of.
Speaker:Finally, and probably my
Speaker:favorite area, because I
Speaker:am most comfortable and
Speaker:most challenged in this
Speaker:space, is preparedness.
Speaker:I believe to really thrive,
Speaker:you must come from a
Speaker:place of good grounding.
Speaker:This is your health,
Speaker:your sanctuary, and
Speaker:your personal readiness.
Speaker:Let's start with health.
Speaker:Our bodies are amazing, and
Speaker:the more I learn in this area,
Speaker:the more I am blown away.
Speaker:Especially for how incredibly
Speaker:healing our bodies can be if
Speaker:we support them correctly.
Speaker:So the basics here
Speaker:won't be a surprise.
Speaker:Are you fueling yourself?
Speaker:Well, moving every
Speaker:day to stay strong and
Speaker:developing good habits
Speaker:that stimulate and protect
Speaker:your mind, your sanctuary.
Speaker:This should be a place you
Speaker:are pleased to enter every
Speaker:day, be it your home or your
Speaker:office or your work site, your
Speaker:sanctuary should be set up
Speaker:in a way that maximizes you
Speaker:and unleashes your potential.
Speaker:Your spaces should serve
Speaker:you and you should not
Speaker:be a servant to them.
Speaker:If each day.
Speaker:Your home creates a feeling
Speaker:of overwhelm because your
Speaker:space is more chaos than calm.
Speaker:This is a key
Speaker:focus area for you.
Speaker:Little changes
Speaker:make big outcomes.
Speaker:Finally in the category
Speaker:of preparedness is
Speaker:personal readiness.
Speaker:You can achieve more with
Speaker:greater confidence if you
Speaker:have a fallback position.
Speaker:As being prepared can
Speaker:prevent you from falling
Speaker:off your personal course.
Speaker:or minimize how long
Speaker:you are impacted from
Speaker:unexpected situation.
Speaker:Financial readiness.
Speaker:I would like for every person
Speaker:or family to have a minimum of
Speaker:2, 000 saved for emergencies,
Speaker:and this is kept separate
Speaker:from your everyday funds.
Speaker:This is money to cover
Speaker:surprises, like an unplanned
Speaker:dentist visit, which
Speaker:will always throw you.
Speaker:Current data is showing
Speaker:us that it is hard in
Speaker:the world right now.
Speaker:And honestly, we don't
Speaker:need the data to know that.
Speaker:But over 50 percent of
Speaker:Australians don't have an
Speaker:emergency fund in place.
Speaker:Something is better than
Speaker:nothing, and putting aside
Speaker:a very small amount each
Speaker:week, if that's what you
Speaker:can do, is the best way to
Speaker:start creating your buffer.
Speaker:Next is insurances, and you
Speaker:never need insurance until you
Speaker:do, and then it's invaluable.
Speaker:Is your income protected?
Speaker:This is something that
Speaker:you could set up through
Speaker:your superannuation
Speaker:fund as an option.
Speaker:Make sure you have the other
Speaker:key insurances you need.
Speaker:Home, contents,
Speaker:and any vehicles.
Speaker:Never, ever travel
Speaker:overseas unless you
Speaker:have travel insurance.
Speaker:That's a key rule.
Speaker:If you can't afford travel
Speaker:insurance, then you probably
Speaker:can't afford to travel.
Speaker:The final critical element
Speaker:of personal readiness is
Speaker:having all of your key
Speaker:documents in one place.
Speaker:This may be as exciting as
Speaker:watching the grass grow,
Speaker:but again, it's super
Speaker:critical in removing chaos
Speaker:and situations when you need
Speaker:those details, particularly
Speaker:emergency situations.
Speaker:I have everything in
Speaker:a folder from my birth
Speaker:certificate to insurances
Speaker:to medical information ready
Speaker:for whenever I need it.
Speaker:And I've made a folder for
Speaker:each member of my family.
Speaker:It is important to note that
Speaker:this personal information
Speaker:is extremely valuable,
Speaker:so invest in a waterproof
Speaker:and fireproof safe to
Speaker:store your documents in.
Speaker:They're available from many
Speaker:of the large scale stationery
Speaker:and hardware stores or online,
Speaker:but provide you peace of mind
Speaker:in those tricky situations.
Speaker:So that's a quick overview of
Speaker:the three foundational areas
Speaker:of purpose, productivity,
Speaker:and preparedness that
Speaker:when working in harmony,
Speaker:create balance at hand.
Speaker:Through this podcast, we
Speaker:will be diving into the
Speaker:individual topics within
Speaker:each foundational area.
Speaker:From today, if you are
Speaker:ready to start considering
Speaker:your balance, I've created
Speaker:a short one page checklist
Speaker:covering the areas we've
Speaker:outlined for you to dive
Speaker:into at your leisure.
Speaker:This free checklist can be
Speaker:downloaded from balanceathand.
Speaker:com.
Speaker:As you start your journey,
Speaker:I encourage you to leave
Speaker:self criticism at the door,
Speaker:which can be hard, but
Speaker:from experience I can tell
Speaker:you that taking a curious
Speaker:learning mindset puts you in
Speaker:the best experience to truly
Speaker:find yourself fascinating.
Speaker:And we all are.
Speaker:And that's an exciting
Speaker:place to be, as from there
Speaker:you can grow and achieve
Speaker:things that you did not even
Speaker:think might be possible.
Speaker:My journey has enabled me
Speaker:to become truer to myself.
Speaker:And really discover myself
Speaker:and things I didn't even
Speaker:realize I wanted to do.
Speaker:Like start a podcast so I
Speaker:can help others achieve the
Speaker:same balance I have found.
Speaker:I have a goal to enable
Speaker:100, 000 people to find
Speaker:their balance at hand.
Speaker:And I certainly hope one
Speaker:of those people is you.
Speaker:Thanks so much for
Speaker:joining me today as we
Speaker:looked at all the basics.
Speaker:As the podcast progresses,
Speaker:we'll be going into
Speaker:a lot more detail on
Speaker:each individual topic.
Speaker:So until next time, live
Speaker:your best balanced life.