Fulfillment & Adventure – Alexis Balladon
We all want to live life to the fullest, the best life, the best version of us… the list goes on. But are you actually doing this? Sure, we all have bad days where all you can think about is bedtime and for the day to be over, but those days should not be in the majority. I have a few top tips on how to get you living a little more.

- Motivation. I am so old school, but I have an actual paper diary because I need to write everything down. I forget things easily and if it’s the diary, it’s solid. Since becoming a Mum (two boys, 3 & 5), I have been self-employed. That’s nearly six years of working for myself. Before hand I would get up and go to work and go through the usual routine. But working for yourself, you set the routine. And if you’re not strict, no work gets done. So that’s where my diary comes into it’s own. I write lists and list and plan my weeks so I have targets and goals. Believe me, I’ve had times where I haven’t done this and I’ve found myself lost and unmotivated, with no money coming in. So write stuff down, the busier you are, the busier and more motivated you will be to succeed at what you want to achieve.
2. Get moving. What’s your sport? Do you like the gym? Running? Wakeboarding? The list goes on… I have to move my body otherwise I find myself in a downward spiral of being lazy with workouts, eating badly, sleeping badly, grumpiness… the list goes on. Sometimes it’s hard to spot, but my posture gets worse and I lose muscle tone. Everyone is different. So I can spot when I’m heading this way and I turn it around immediately. It might be something simple like swapping the 4pm tea and biscuit for an apple with peanut butter and a pint of water. It changes the mindset. And then I’ll get my workout mat out and do a YouTube workout or yoga session. And there you go; you’ve changes your downward spiral into and upward spiral in the space of 30mins.
3. Say yes. Some people have absolutely no problem with say yes; and that’s great. Some people find it much harder to put themselves out there and say yes to stuff. I now say yes to loads more and I just figure that if I got and try something and I’m not into it, then at least I’ve tried it. And you would have pushed your comfort zone, which will get the adrenaline pumping, and once you’ve done it, you will feel a sense of achievement. This could be anything from drinks with a new group of people, a new baby class, a fitness class, a new job, a new sport, travel… so many options.
4. Look up. This seems very apt for todays world. Look up from your phone. When you’re out and about, just holster it and take in the people/places around you. I’ve had people say to me that they think they think they should be doing more because all their friends on social media are living such amazing lives. Well social media is all about the best life, isn’t it? No one shows what its like dealing with screaming toddler at 3am. Even if you talk about it, no one wants to see the photos of it happening. So when you’re out and about, experience your time, not someone else’s.
5. Choose happiness. Start small if this sounds weird, but you can choose to be happy. Think of everything in your life that is amazing whether it’s your health, friends, family, kids, work, hobby… hopefully you have something that is awesome in your life. Then start to look at other things in your life that are great, and if they’re not so great, what actions can you take to turn them around. If you make the conscious effort to do this, things will start to fall into place.
That’s my little list of how you can get more fulfillment out of your daily life. There are tones more things that you can do each and every day. What are some of the things you do to turn your bad day into a good day?
By Alexis Balladon (mother, wife, wakeboarder and surfer!)
Instagram: @lexballadon

Understanding Your Energy Roadmap – @livewellwithlou
We’ve teamed up with Health & Mindfullness Coach Lou, from @livewellwithlou to share tips for understanding your ‘energy roadmap’ PLUS head over to her Instagram feed to enter a competition to win our 3 sparkling herbal waters to help give your energy a vital...
10 Way To Live More Sustainably – Erin Burns
Sustainability is the word hot on everybody’s lips right now-and for a very good reason, but what exactly does it mean and what can we do about it? Well, sustainability can be best understood as meeting our current needs without negatively impacting the ability of...
Top 4 reasons why the Planetary Diet is a Winner – Anna Porter
Want a healthy diet and to play your part in a sustainable food system? Look no further! The planetary diet was born out of desire to provide nutritious food to the worlds fast growing population whilst preserving the planet. According to researchers, the Earth can...
How To Stay Calm In a Crazy World- Francesca Elliott
Yoga Yoga helps me to escape, not only when I am teaching my clients but also when I am self-practicing. Yoga has taught me to acknowledge how my body and mind are feeling in any given moment, making me less reactive in any given situation. A yoga class is the only...
My Experience with Offline 48 – John Henderson
“The internet used to be an escape from reality, now reality is an escape from the internet” - Unknown My smartphone is like an additional part of my body these days, its always right there in my hand or at hand in my pocket. I spend countless hours scrolling...
How to Join the Anti-diet Revolution- Sarah Glover-Smith
Diet culture; it’s been getting a lot of attention recently, but it’s been a part of our society for years. It’s the voice that screams at you as you look in the mirror and curse yourself for eating that packet of digestives. It’s the reason you can’t wear shorts,...
Dogs and how they benefit our mental health and wellbeing- Holly Snowdon
'No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich' - Louis Sabin There’s a reason why dogs are often referred to as ‘man’s best friend’. I’m confident in my assumption that NOBODY will greet you with as much enthusiasm and joy...
My Top 5 Non-aesthetic Reasons to Workout- Tori Porter
Once we leave the childhood innocence of playing football or stuck in the mud in a field behind, exercise shifts from a playtime activity to becoming, for many, about weight loss. I think we’ve all been there, trying to make up for excessive pizza and alcohol but...
How can we make our wardrobes more sustainable?- Gemma Newton
We hear the term ‘sustainability’ used a lot nowadays, but it’s not without good reason. More recently, we’ve begun to hear the phrase ‘sustainable wardrobe’. This is almost certainly a reaction to the devastating impact fast fashion is having on the environment. I...
Beating fatigue with food- Naomi Laws
We’ve all been there. It’s that time again where we’ve had a terrible nights sleep (or perhaps even no sleep!), either due to a late night with friends, or just purely from the inability to go to sleep. But alas, morning is here (how is it morning so quickly?) and we...