My Items

Life today moves fast, and finding balance can feel like chasing an illusion. I’ve often wondered how to align my goals, motivation, and mental well-being in a way that feels sustainable and fulfilling. I want to sustain and maintain my good, effective habits as part of my daily cadences, and not succumb to living mindlessly and carelessly without direction. This latter type of existence exhausts and depletes unnecessary energy, whereas living mindfully could make life worthwhile and push me beyond my capabilities. That’s when I discovered the concept of just live well —a holistic approach to personal growth and mental fitness that goes beyond quick fixes. It’s about embracing every part of life with intention and clarity, and aspiring to sustainability hereof. In this post, I want to share what just live well means to me and how it can help you optimise your mental and emotional health, improve relationships, and build resilience. Whether you’re seeking to enhance your focus at work, nurture your lifestyle, start moving forward, or simply find peace in daily living, this approach offers practical steps to create lasting progress. Embracing the Philosophy of Just Live Well At its core, just live well is about more than surviving day to day. It’s about thriving by nurturing all aspects of your life. This means paying attention to your mental, career, emotional, and physical health while also fostering meaningful relationships and a balanced lifestyle. I found that when I started to view life through this lens, I became more intentional about my choices. For example: Prioritising sleep, exercise and nutrition to support cognitive fitness Setting clear, achievable goals that align with my values and vision Practising mindfulness to reduce stress and increase focus Building stronger connections with friends and family This holistic mindset helps me stay motivated and resilient, even when challenges arise. It’s not about perfection but progress—small, consistent steps that add up over time. "Just Live Well is the shift from quick fixes to sustainable growth. It’s about choosing intention over impulse, and progress over perfection, to create a life that feels as good on the inside as it looks on the outside." —Elvira de Jager How Just Live Well Supports Mental and Emotional Well-Being Mental and emotional well-being are the foundation of living well. Without them, it’s difficult to maintain balance or pursue personal growth. I’ve learned that professional online counselling and life coaching can be invaluable tools in this journey. Through guided sessions, I was able to: Clarify my goals and identify what truly matters Increase my motivation by understanding my personal drivers Develop coping strategies to manage stress and anxiety Enhance my emotional intelligence to improve relationships These benefits extend beyond the sessions themselves, they offer you a brainstorming partner. They empower you to take control of your mental health daily, adopting new tools and techniques, creating sustainable habits that support long-term well-being. If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed, seeking support can be a game-changer. It’s not a sign of weakness but a proactive step toward living well. Practical Steps to Just Live Well Living well requires action. Here are some practical recommendations I’ve found effective: Set Clear Intentions Write down your goals and revisit them regularly. Make sure they are specific, measurable, and aligned with your values. Create a Balanced Routine Incorporate activities that nourish your mind, body, and soul. This could include exercise, meditation, hobbies, and social time. Practice Mindfulness Daily Even five minutes of focused breathing or meditation can improve your focus and reduce stress. Build Resilience View setbacks as learning opportunities. Reflect on challenges and identify what you can control moving forward. Seek Support When Needed Don’t hesitate to reach out to professionals for counselling or coaching. They can provide personalised guidance and accountability. By integrating these steps into your life, you create a foundation for ongoing growth and well-being. PLAN - SCHEDULE - EXECUTE The Role of Relationships and Lifestyle in Just Live Well Our connections with others and the lifestyle we lead significantly impact our overall well-being. I’ve noticed that nurturing healthy relationships, our support systems, and making mindful lifestyle choices are essential components of living well. Consider these areas: Relationships: Invest time in building trust and open communication. Schedule meetings with people to connect on a non-work-related basis so that you can learn and foster meaningful networks. Healthy relationships provide emotional support and increase happiness. Lifestyle: Evaluate your daily habits. Are they supporting your health and goals? Small changes like reducing screen time or improving your diet can have a big impact. Creating follow-ups on previous social meetings and checking-in with people is a good lifestyle habit to acquire. Work-Life Balance: Set boundaries to prevent burnout. Prioritise tasks and delegate when possible to maintain energy and focus. Dedicating balanced time to the four quadrants of your life (LEM), feeds your 'self' as a whole and develops overall holistic wholeness (LEM) . By addressing these areas, you create a supportive environment that fosters mental clarity and emotional stability. Why JustLive Is a Trusted Partner in Your Journey In an era where professional support is essential for navigating life’s complexities, JustLive stands as a dedicated platform to empower individuals worldwide. Through online counselling and life coaching, it provides a collaborative space where transformation is not just a goal, but a shared journey. This holistic approach is designed to resonate with the modern need for balance, addressing mental health, relationships, lifestyle, and cognitive fitness in equal measure. What distinguishes the JustLive experience is a commitment to accessibility and personalised care. This is a partnership built on the understanding that every path is unique. Whether the objective is to elevate workplace performance, deepen personal connections, or cultivate a more grounded daily existence, the platform offers the tailored expertise necessary to turn intentions into lasting progress. Engaging with a trusted partner like JustLive bridges the gap between feeling stuck and achieving meaningful growth. It is a space where ideas are exchanged, resilience is built, and the tools for a sustainable, well-lived life are put into practice. Taking the First Step Toward Living Well Starting your journey to just live well might feel challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. Begin with small, manageable changes and seek support when needed. Remember, this is a process of growth, not a race. Here are some actionable tips to get started today: Schedule a 15-minute free connection with a life coach or counsellor Identify one habit to improve this week, such as daily mindfulness or better sleep hygiene Reach out to a friend or family member to strengthen your support network Reflect on your current goals and adjust them to be more realistic and meaningful By taking these steps, you’re investing in your mental wealth and building a foundation for a balanced, fulfilling life. Living well is a continuous journey that requires attention, intention, and support. By embracing a holistic approach and leveraging professional guidance, you can create sustainable progress in every area of your life. I encourage you to explore the possibilities and take that first step toward a healthier, more balanced you. Contact me for your 15-minute connection to book a future session with me. Elvira elvira@justlive.co.za www.justlive.co.za "The path to a balanced life isn’t walked alone. It is found when professional expertise meets personal intention, transforming the search for mental fitness into a sustainable journey of growth." — JustLive

Taking care of your physical health is one of the most important steps you can take toward achieving a balanced and fulfilling life. When your body feels strong and energized, your mind follows suit, allowing you to perform at your best mentally and emotionally. I’ve found that simple, consistent habits can make a huge difference in how I feel every day. Whether you’re juggling a busy schedule or seeking personal growth, these better physical health tips will help you build a foundation for lasting wellness. Better Physical Health Tips to Start Today Improving your physical health doesn’t have to be complicated or overwhelming. In fact, small changes can lead to big results over time. Here are some practical tips that I’ve incorporated into my routine and recommend to anyone looking to boost their well-being: Stay Hydrated : Drinking enough water is essential for every bodily function. Aim for at least 8 glasses a day, and more if you’re active or live in a hot climate. Prioritise Sleep : Quality sleep helps your body repair and your mind reset. Try to get 7-9 hours of uninterrupted rest each night. Move Regularly : You don’t need a gym membership to stay active. Walking, stretching, or even light household chores can keep your body engaged. Eat Balanced Meals : Focus on whole foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Avoid processed foods that drain your energy. Practice Mindful Breathing : Taking a few deep breaths throughout the day can reduce stress and improve oxygen flow to your muscles. These simple habits create a ripple effect, improving your energy levels, mood, and overall health. "The brain is 85% water and requires constant hydration to function, staying hydrated ensures you think faster and focus with greater clarity." How Can You Improve Your Physical Health? Understanding how to improve your physical health starts with knowing what your body needs and how to listen to it. Here are some actionable steps that can help you take control of your health journey: Set Realistic Goals Start with small, achievable goals. For example, commit to a 10-minute walk daily or add one extra serving of vegetables to your meals. Gradually increase your goals as you build confidence. Create a Routine Consistency is key. Schedule your workouts, meal prep, and sleep times just like any important appointment. This helps build habits that stick. Incorporate Strength and Flexibility Exercises Strength training supports muscle health and metabolism, while flexibility exercises like yoga or stretching improve mobility and reduce injury risk. Monitor Your Progress Keep a journal or use an app to track your activities, meals, and how you feel. This awareness can motivate you and help identify what works best. Seek Support When Needed Sometimes, professional guidance from a coach or counsellor can provide personalised strategies and accountability. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need help. By following these steps, you can create a sustainable path toward better physical health that fits your lifestyle. Incorporate flexibility exercises for physical health The Role of Nutrition in Physical Wellness Nutrition plays a vital role in how your body functions and recovers. Eating well fuels your energy, supports your immune system, and enhances mental clarity. Here are some nutrition tips that have helped me maintain balance: Eat a Rainbow : Include a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables to get a broad spectrum of vitamins and antioxidants. Choose Healthy Fats : Incorporate sources like avocados, nuts, and olive oil to support brain and heart health. Limit Sugar and Processed Foods : These can cause energy crashes and inflammation. Stay Mindful of Portions : Eating mindfully helps prevent overeating and promotes better digestion. Plan Your Meals : Preparing meals ahead of time reduces the temptation to grab unhealthy options when you’re busy. Plan-Schedule-Execute! Remember, nutrition is not about perfection but about making better choices more often. The Importance of Physical Activity for Mental and Emotional Well-being Physical activity is not just about the body; it profoundly impacts your mental and emotional health. When I exercise regularly, I notice improvements in my mood, focus, and resilience. Here’s why movement matters: Releases Endorphins : These natural chemicals boost happiness and reduce stress. Improves Sleep Quality : Exercise helps regulate your sleep cycle. Enhances Cognitive Function : Physical activity increases blood flow to the brain, improving memory and concentration. Builds Confidence : Achieving fitness goals fosters a sense of accomplishment. Supports Social Connections : Group activities or classes can create a sense of community. Even light activities like walking or gardening can provide these benefits, making it easier to stay motivated. Integrating Physical Health into Your Holistic Wellness Journey Physical health is one piece of the larger puzzle of holistic wellness. When you focus on your body, mind, and emotions together, you create a powerful synergy that supports lasting growth. Here’s how I integrate physical health into my overall well-being: Balance Activity with Rest : Avoid burnout by listening to your body’s need for recovery. Practice Mindfulness : Being present during meals, workouts, or relaxation enhances your connection to your body. Address Relationships and Lifestyle : Healthy habits flourish in supportive environments. Use Professional Support : Online counselling and life coaching can help clarify your goals and increase motivation. ( Individual therapy ) Celebrate Progress : Acknowledge every step forward, no matter how small. By embracing this holistic approach, you can build resilience, enhance focus, and create sustainable progress in every area of your life. If you want to improve your physical health effectively, remember that it’s about consistent, mindful choices that fit your unique lifestyle. Start small, stay committed, and watch your well-being transform. Taking these simple steps toward better physical health can empower you to live a more balanced, energised, and fulfilling life. Your body is your foundation - nurture it well, and everything else will follow. www.justlive.co.za

In today’s fast-paced world, emotional grit is more important than ever. It is the inner strength that helps us face challenges, bounce back from setbacks, and maintain mental well-being. Developing emotional grit is essential for anyone striving for life balance, personal growth, or peak mental performance. Through professional online counselling and life coaching, I have seen firsthand how cultivating this quality can transform lives. In this post, I will share practical resilience building techniques that empower you to build emotional grit and thrive in every area of your life. Understanding Emotional Grit and Its Importance Emotional grit is the inner capacity to stay steady, purposeful, and engaged when emotions are uncomfortable or life feels demanding. It begins in our thinking patterns—the stories we tell ourselves, the assumptions we make, and the meaning we assign to events. These thoughts shape our self-talk, influence our sense of self-worth and self-love, and give rise to our emotional responses. How we feel emotionally directly affects our physiological state, which in turn impacts our behaviour, performance, and the actions we take (or avoid). Emotional grit is therefore not about suppressing emotions, but about understanding and managing this inner cycle with awareness and intention. When we develop emotional grit, we strengthen our ability to regulate emotions, remain resilient under pressure, and continue moving toward long-term goals with clarity, confidence, and self-leadership. For example, when facing a demanding project at work or a personal crisis, emotional grit allows you to stay calm, think clearly, and take constructive action. It also enhances your relationships by fostering patience, empathy, and effective communication. Without emotional grit, it’s easy to become overwhelmed or give up when things get tough. Building emotional grit is a journey that requires self-awareness, practice, and support. It involves strengthening your mindset, emotional regulation, and coping strategies to create sustainable progress in your life. Resilience Building Techniques to Cultivate Emotional Grit Resilience-building techniques are practical tools and habits that help you develop emotional grit. These techniques focus on enhancing your mental and emotional well-being, improving focus, and increasing motivation. Here are some effective strategies: Practice Mindfulness and Meditation Mindfulness helps you stay present and observe your emotions without judgment. Regular meditation reduces stress and improves emotional regulation. Start with 5-10 minutes daily, focusing on your breath, a calming image, or writing down a positive declaration, or 5 things you are grateful for. Set Clear, Meaningful Goals Having clear goals gives you direction and purpose. Break larger goals into smaller, manageable steps to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Celebrate small wins to boost motivation. Develop a Growth Mindset Embrace challenges as opportunities to learn rather than threats. Replace negative self-talk with positive affirmations. View failures as feedback, not defeat. Build Strong Social Connections Supportive relationships provide emotional safety and encouragement. Reach out to friends, family, or a coach when you need help. Sharing your experiences reduces isolation. Engage in Physical Activity Exercise releases endorphins that improve mood and reduce anxiety. Even a short daily walk can enhance your resilience. Practice Self-Compassion Treat yourself with kindness during difficult times. Avoid harsh criticism and recognise that setbacks are part of growth. Maintain Healthy Lifestyle Habits Prioritise sleep, nutrition, and hydration. A healthy body supports a resilient mind. By integrating these resilience-building techniques into your daily routine, you create a strong foundation for emotional grit that sustains you through life’s ups and downs. Journaling is a tool for emotional resilience The Role of Online Counselling and Life Coaching in Emotional Grit Professional online counselling and life coaching offer personalised support to help you build emotional grit. These services provide a safe space to explore your emotions, clarify your goals, and develop tailored strategies for resilience. Through counselling, you can address underlying issues such as anxiety, stress, or relationship challenges that may hinder your emotional strength. Life coaching focuses on motivation, goal-setting, and accountability, helping you stay on track with your personal growth. The holistic approach used in these services considers all aspects of your life - relationships, lifestyle, health, and cognitive fitness. This comprehensive support ensures that you build resilience not just mentally but emotionally and physically as well. Working with a professional can accelerate your progress by providing expert guidance, encouragement, and practical tools. It also helps you develop self-awareness and emotional intelligence, which are key components of emotional grit. Practical Steps to Build Emotional Grit Today Building emotional grit is achievable with consistent effort and the right mindset. Here are actionable steps you can start implementing immediately: Identify Your Emotional Triggers Keep a journal to note situations that challenge your emotional balance. Understanding triggers helps you prepare and respond more effectively. Create a Resilience Routine Incorporate mindfulness, exercise, and goal review into your daily schedule. Consistency builds strength over time. Use Positive Visualisation Imagine yourself overcoming obstacles and succeeding. Visualisation boosts confidence and motivation. Practice Deep Breathing Techniques When stressed, take slow, deep breaths to calm your nervous system and regain focus. Seek Feedback and Reflect Ask trusted individuals for feedback on your progress. Reflect on what works and adjust your strategies accordingly. Celebrate Progress Acknowledge your growth, no matter how small. Positive reinforcement encourages continued effort. By taking these steps, you actively develop the resilience and emotional grit needed to face challenges with courage and clarity. Embracing Emotional Grit for Lifelong Growth Building emotional grit is not a one-time event but a lifelong commitment to personal growth and mental well-being. It empowers you to handle stress, improve relationships, and achieve your goals with greater ease. If you want to learn more about how to develop emotional grit , professional online counselling and life coaching can provide the support and tools you need. These services help you clarify your goals, increase motivation, and optimise your mental and emotional health. Remember, emotional grit is a skill that anyone can cultivate. With patience, practice, and the right guidance, you can build resilience that sustains you through life’s challenges and opportunities. Start your journey today and experience the transformative power of emotional grit in creating a balanced, fulfilling life. Book Online Page

In today’s fast-paced world, finding balance can feel like an elusive goal. Between work demands, personal responsibilities, and the constant buzz of digital distractions, maintaining mental and emotional well-being is a challenge many face. I’ve discovered that digital balance coaching offers a powerful way to regain control, clarify goals, and foster sustainable growth in all areas of life. This approach combines professional online counselling and life coaching to support you in building resilience, enhancing focus, and optimising your overall mental fitness. What Is Digital Balance Coaching and Why It Matters Digital balance coaching is a modern, accessible method designed to help individuals navigate the complexities of life through online support. It focuses on creating harmony between your personal, professional, and emotional worlds by addressing key areas such as relationships, lifestyle, health, workplace dynamics, and cognitive fitness. Unlike traditional coaching, digital balance coaching leverages technology to provide flexible, personalised guidance wherever you are. This means you can work on your goals without the constraints of location or time, making it easier to integrate positive changes into your daily routine. Key benefits include: Increased motivation and clarity about your life goals Improved mental and emotional well-being Enhanced focus and cognitive performance Strengthened resilience to handle stress and setbacks Sustainable progress in personal and professional areas By embracing this holistic approach, you’re not just managing symptoms of imbalance—you’re transforming your life from the inside out. Individual therapy How Digital Balance Coaching Supports Your Mental and Emotional Well-Being One of the most valuable aspects of digital balance coaching is its focus on mental and emotional health. Through tailored sessions, you can explore your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours in a safe, supportive environment. This process helps you identify patterns that may be holding you back and develop strategies to overcome them. For example, if you struggle with procrastination or lack of motivation, coaching can help you uncover the underlying causes—such as fear of failure or overwhelm—and provide practical tools to manage these challenges. Techniques might include mindfulness exercises, cognitive restructuring, or goal-setting frameworks that keep you accountable and inspired. Moreover, coaching often incorporates lifestyle adjustments that promote well-being, such as improving sleep habits, nutrition, and physical activity. These changes contribute to better brain function and emotional stability, creating a positive feedback loop that supports your growth. Practical tips you might receive include: Setting realistic daily priorities to avoid burnout Using breathing exercises to reduce anxiety during stressful moments Scheduling regular breaks to maintain mental clarity Cultivating gratitude practices to boost emotional resilience By integrating these strategies, you can experience noticeable improvements in your mood, energy, and overall outlook. Exploring the Benefits of an Online Life Balance Programme If you’re ready to take a proactive step toward a more balanced life, consider enrolling in a personalised online life balance programme. These programmes are designed to provide structured support through a combination of coaching, counselling, and educational resources. What sets an online life balance programme apart is its comprehensive nature. It doesn’t just focus on one aspect of your life but addresses multiple dimensions simultaneously. This holistic approach ensures that improvements in one area—such as better stress management—positively impact others, including relationships and work performance. Participants often report: Greater self-awareness and emotional intelligence Enhanced ability to set and maintain healthy boundaries Improved communication skills in personal and professional settings Increased productivity and satisfaction at work A stronger sense of purpose and direction The flexibility of online delivery means you can engage with the programme at your own pace, fitting sessions around your schedule. This accessibility makes it easier to commit to lasting change. Practical Steps to Maximise Your Digital Balance Coaching Experience To get the most out of digital balance coaching, it’s important to approach it with intention and openness. Here are some actionable recommendations to help you succeed: Set clear goals: Before starting, identify what you want to achieve. Whether it’s reducing stress, improving relationships, or boosting focus, having specific objectives will guide your sessions. Plan-Schedule-Execute! Be honest and reflective: Coaching works best when you’re willing to explore your thoughts and feelings deeply. Don’t shy away from difficult topics—they often hold the key to breakthroughs. Commit to regular sessions: Consistency is crucial. Schedule coaching appointments and treat them as non-negotiable commitments to yourself. Practice outside sessions: Apply the tools and techniques you learn in your daily life. This might include journaling, mindfulness, or new communication habits. Seek feedback: Share your progress and challenges with your coach. This dialogue helps tailor the coaching to your evolving needs. By following these steps, you’ll create a strong foundation for meaningful and lasting transformation. Embracing a Holistic Approach to Life Balance True life balance goes beyond managing time or reducing stress—it involves nurturing every part of your being. Digital balance coaching embraces this holistic philosophy by integrating mental, emotional, physical, and relational health. For instance, improving your physical health through better nutrition and exercise can enhance cognitive function and emotional stability. Similarly, cultivating healthy relationships provides emotional support and reduces feelings of isolation. Addressing lifestyle factors such as sleep hygiene and digital detox, further supports mental clarity and resilience. This interconnected approach means that progress in one area naturally supports growth in others, creating a ripple effect of positive change. It’s about building a sustainable lifestyle that empowers you to thrive, not just survive. Consider these holistic practices: Regular physical activity tailored to your preferences Mindfulness meditation or relaxation techniques Setting boundaries around technology use Engaging in meaningful social connections Prioritising restful sleep and recovery By weaving these elements into your life, you’ll cultivate a balanced, fulfilling existence. Taking the First Step Toward Your Balanced Life Embarking on a journey with digital balance coaching can be a transformative experience. It offers a supportive, professional partnership that helps you clarify your goals, increase motivation, and optimise your mental and emotional well-being. If you’re ready to explore this path, consider joining an online life balance programme that aligns with your needs. With expert guidance and a holistic approach, you can build resilience, enhance focus, and create sustainable progress in every area of your life. Remember, balance is not a destination but a continuous process of growth and self-discovery. By investing in yourself through digital balance coaching, you’re taking a powerful step toward living a more harmonious and fulfilling life. “The strength of your mind determines the quality of your life.” Edmond Mbiaka www.justlive.co.za

In my journey toward personal growth and mental well-being, I have discovered that becoming a high achiever is not just about reaching goals but about cultivating a mindset and traits that support sustainable success. Whether you are seeking life balance, peak mental performance, or enhanced motivation, understanding the core characteristics of achievers can transform your approach to challenges and opportunities. Achievers are not born; they are made through consistent effort, self-awareness, and a commitment to growth. In this post, I will share insights into the traits and mindset that define achievers, practical steps to develop these qualities, and how a holistic approach to life can support your journey toward becoming a high achiever. Becoming a High Achiever: The Foundation of Success Becoming a high achiever starts with a clear vision and a strong sense of purpose. It means setting meaningful goals that align with your values and taking deliberate actions to reach them. But beyond goal-setting, it requires cultivating resilience, focus, and emotional intelligence. Here are some foundational traits that I have found essential in becoming a high achiever: Clarity of Purpose : Knowing what you want and why you want it fuels motivation and guides decision-making. Discipline and Consistency : Success is built on daily habits and routines that keep you moving forward, even when motivation wanes. Growth Mindset : Viewing challenges as opportunities to learn rather than obstacles to avoid. Emotional Resilience : Managing stress and setbacks without losing momentum. Self-Awareness : Understanding your strengths, weaknesses, and triggers to optimize performance. To cultivate these traits, I recommend starting with small, manageable goals and gradually increasing their complexity. For example, if improving focus is a priority, begin by dedicating 10 minutes a day to mindfulness or concentration exercises and build from there. Practising a progressive breathing exercise could help create a focus-hour. Setting clear goals is the first step to becoming a high achiever - create your list. What is an achiever personality? Understanding what an achiever personality is helps clarify the mindset and behaviours that drive success. An achiever personality is characterised by a strong internal drive to accomplish goals, a proactive attitude, and a willingness to take responsibility for outcomes. Key personality traits often found in achievers include: Ambition : A desire to excel and reach higher levels of performance. Optimism : Belief in the possibility of success despite challenges. Perseverance : The ability to keep going when faced with difficulties. Self-Motivation : Initiating action without external pressure. Adaptability : Flexibility to adjust strategies when necessary. These traits are not fixed; they can be developed through intentional practice and reflection. For instance, cultivating optimism can start with reframing negative thoughts and focusing on potential solutions rather than problems. In my experience, combining these personality traits with a supportive environment and effective coaching can accelerate growth and achievement. Cultivating a Growth Mindset for Sustainable Progress One of the most powerful shifts I have made in my personal development is embracing a growth mindset. This mindset, popularised by psychologist Carol Dweck, is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort and learning. A growth mindset encourages: Embracing Challenges : Seeing them as opportunities to improve and grow. Learning from Criticism : Using feedback constructively, and not perceiving it as a threat. Persistence : Continuing effort despite setbacks. Celebrating Effort : Valuing the process, not just the outcome. To cultivate this mindset, I suggest: Reflect on Past Successes and Failures : Identify what you learned from each experience. Set Learning Goals : Focus on acquiring new skills rather than just achieving results. Plan, Schedule, and Execute! Practice Self-Compassion : Be kind to yourself during setbacks. Surround Yourself with Growth-Minded People : Engage with those who encourage development, and contribute to your energy By adopting a growth mindset, you build resilience and maintain motivation, which are crucial for long-term achievement. “The view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life.”  — Carol Dweck The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Achievement Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to recognise, understand, and manage your own emotions and those of others. High EI is a common trait among achievers because it supports better decision-making, relationship management, and stress control. The four components of emotional intelligence are: Self-Awareness : Recognising your emotions and their impact. Self-Regulation : Controlling impulses and adapting to changing circumstances. Empathy : Understanding others’ feelings and perspectives. Social Skills : Building and maintaining healthy relationships and adopting a teachable mindset. Improving EI can be done through: Mindfulness Practices : Enhancing awareness of emotional states. Active Listening : Focusing fully on others during conversations, and pausing more. Reflective Journaling : Tracking emotional responses and triggers. Seeking Feedback : Learning how others perceive your behaviour. In my coaching practice, I emphasize EI as a cornerstone for achieving balance and success in both personal and professional life. Practical Steps to Build Resilience and Focus Resilience and focus are essential for navigating the ups and downs of any achievement journey. Here are actionable strategies I use and recommend: Develop a Morning Routine : Start your day with activities that energize and center you, such as meditation, exercise, breathing and journaling. Plan your daily schedule of the week by writing down a list. Then Schedule it - by writing down in your calendar, and then tick it off as you Execute the tasks and goals each day. Prioritise Tasks : Use tools like the Eisenhower Matrix or Stephen Covey's Time Management Matrix, to focus on what is important and urgent. Set Boundaries : Protect your time and energy by saying no to distractions and unnecessary commitments. Practice Deep Work : Allocate uninterrupted time blocks for focused work. Set a focus-hour with a breathing exercise, keep to the schedule. Maintain Physical Health : Regular exercise, balanced nutrition, and adequate sleep support cognitive function and emotional stability. Use Visualisation Techniques : Imagine successful outcomes to boost confidence and motivation. By integrating these habits, you create a strong foundation for sustained achievement and well-being. Embracing a Holistic Approach to Personal Growth True achievement is not just about professional success or hitting targets; it involves nurturing all areas of life. A holistic approach considers relationships, spiritual and emotional, lifestyle, health, and mental fitness as interconnected elements. Here’s how I integrate this approach: Mental and Relational Dimension : Cultivate supportive connections that encourage growth and provide emotional support. Educate your mind daily - engage in activities that challenge the brain, such as learning new skills or practising mindfulness. Physical and Nutritional Dimension : Balance work and leisure to prevent burnout and maintain joy. Prioritize physical and mental health as the basis for performance. Spiritual and Emotional Dimension: Strengthen inner resilience and meaning by cultivating emotional awareness, values alignment, and practices that anchor you during challenges and change. Work, Career and Financial Dimension:  Create sustainable success by aligning purpose, developing skill and competence, and practising financial responsibility, while setting healthy boundaries that protect your energy, focus, and self-worth. This comprehensive perspective helps me and those I coach to build resilience, enhance focus, and create sustainable progress in every area of life. Becoming a high achiever is a journey of continuous learning, self-discovery, and intentional action. By understanding the traits and mindset that define achievers, and by adopting practical strategies to cultivate these qualities, you can unlock your potential and thrive in all aspects of life. If you want to explore more about what is an achiever and how to develop these traits, consider professional online counselling and life coaching. These services provide personalised support to clarify your goals, increase motivation, and optimise your mental and emotional well-being. Remember, achievement is not a destination but a lifelong process of growth and balance. Embrace it with curiosity, resilience, and compassion for yourself. Personal growth doesn’t happen by chance—it’s cultivated with intention and the right support. If you would like guidance with your personal development journey, Justlive  offers consultations and sessions tailored to your unique needs. Learn more at www.justlive.co.za  or reach out directly at elvira@justlive.co.za

The concern about social media’s impact on mental health is ever concerning as the digital age and the possibilities out there are increasing. Is it Digital Attraction, or Digital Addiction? As upbringing and education change, and technology evolves while people stagnate, we realise we must approach social media and technology differently.   With AI taking the lead and machine learning influencing our spaces—technically, emotionally, and socially—it becomes ever-present, shaping the content and learning from user behaviour. AI algorithms analyse habits and patterns, categorising users into profiles to tailor content streams. This sophisticated system is designed to hook users by continuously offering engaging material, leading to compulsive scrolling and prolonged screen time.   As I am writing this article, I must stay aware of how AI algorithms shape the digital experience and influence habits. Screen time has become a dominant factor in our everyday lives, dictating how we manage our time and relate to people and our environment whether it’s the mobile phone, computer, tablet, or another device, our communication and focus are often controlled by screens.   We need to caution ourselves about how subtly this system has developed. For instance, someone who abstains from one addiction might easily fall prey to another, often turning to games, social media, or reels. These platforms use AI-driven algorithms to feed habits minute by minute. This "content loop" creates a paradox of information: you might see one reel promoting the benefits of coconut oil, only to encounter another debunking it with “credible” sources. This highlights how AI can present information based on user preferences, shaping beliefs rather than promoting balanced views.  When it feels  as if someone  understands you—no matter if it’s a bot—you are drawn in, forging an emotional connection that deepens your engagement.   As Brad Huddleston discusses in Digital Cocaine , the dopamine-driven designs of digital platforms exploit the brain’s reward system, fostering dependency. Dr Linda Papadopoulos also emphasises how social media can negatively affect self-worth, making users vulnerable to comparison and idealised representations of life.   Gone are the days of physically going to libraries, where bound books and research papers from reputable sources were carefully vetted. While AI and digital media have revolutionised information access, it’s crucial to verify even the most convincing content—especially when it comes from your best “online friend,” people, or viral posts.   The unrestricted flow of information has made us overly reliant on instant answers, eroding our ability to problem-solve, create, and think critically.   How, then, can we reclaim creativity and enhance digital well-being in this age of information overload? Take control of your life by being mature, consistent, decisive, and strong!   1.Reduce screen time Take control of your time and set clear boundaries. Work within set hours if you have any, e.g., 08:00–17:00, with regular breaks at least 10:00 or 15:00 minutes. Limit social media browsing to once a day, avoiding it before bedtime. Stream movies or shows within set timeframes, and avoid screens an hour before bed to support mental health and better sleep. Revisit offline alternatives like paper books or eBooks, or seek information from experts.   2.Foster mindful online habits Stay conscious of your digital interactions. Respect your time and the time of others, time management is imperative for mindful living. Recognise the trance-like state AI algorithms can induce with endless reels and tailored feeds. Be vigilant about conspiracies, fake news, and manipulated content designed to keep you hooked. Safeguard your identity by being cautious about impersonators or oversharing. – be safe! People impersonate and steal identities and their photos do not always confirm who they are. Not for job interviews or dates – be careful. Practice mindful posting, reflecting values that align with your career, family, and future aspirations. Online habits – include letting the people in your house and close environment come first, and tech later, always putting them first and having meaningful connections with them. Keep to a daily routine – it will help you curb screens and pursue healthy habits – it is all about consistency, and having rhythm in life keeps you safe. Do not become bored - life balance is key – there are so many dimensions to our life we do not have to be bored!   3.Protect your self-worth Recognise that your value is not tied to online validation. Set personal boundaries around screen time. Be content. Avoid comparing yourself to idealised social media personas. Cultivate meaningful relationships offline, prioritising real connections over digital interactions – nurture your relationships – with your loved ones, and your support group. Phone them and connect with them, people need each other. – Let people come first and not social media – Go out to meet people, visit with them, and make new connections by networking with real people. Accept and love yourself, understanding that technology cannot replace genuine self-esteem.   Addressing the mental health effects of this digital era makes us vigilant about who we are becoming and the habits we form today, which will dictate our future. By fostering digital wellness, we can reclaim control over our lives and build healthier, more balanced relationships with technology.   Take control of your habits by reinforcing resilience and building consistency  — Plan. Schedule. Execute.  And if you should lapse, go back and try again.   If you need help with digital challenges and you want to promote digital wellness please contact me at:  elvira@justlive.co.za Elvira Justlive Coaching & Counselling CEO M. Psych. 0832738472 elvira@justlive.co.za www.justlive.co.za #mentalhealth #counselling #therapy #lifecoaching #lifebalance #addiction #digital #digitalwellness #screenaddiction #socialmedia #socialmediaaddiction #depression

Outplacement & Offboarding Counselling

In our life journey, one of the most crucial aspects is establishing a unique identity. Your identity is the essence of who you are, encompassing your values, beliefs, passions, and aspirations. There are so many characteristics that create the person you are, your strengths, your temperament, your upbringing, your environment, your values, the language you speak, and the love language you respond to, so many factors make you who you are! I feel identity goes beyond this, it mirrors your spirit. It's the key to unlocking your true potential and promoting your mental well-being. The value YOU bring to our life – is priceless! There’s only ONE YOU! Factors to consider when establishing identity: 1. Embrace Self-Acceptance: Begin by accepting yourself unconditionally, embracing both your strengths and imperfections. Understand that you are a work in progress, constantly evolving and growing. Embracing self-acceptance allows you to cultivate a positive relationship with yourself, fostering a sense of self-worth and inner peace. 2. Discover Your Passions: Explore your interests and engage in activities that ignite your passion and give you fun! Whether it's painting, dancing, writing, photography, or any other form of self-expression, discovering and pursuing your passions provides a sense of purpose and fulfilment. It allows you to connect with your authentic self, enabling you to thrive mentally and emotionally. While discovering this you also find out what you like and dislike, and other values. They exist from our experiences and while we live life. 3️. Define Your Values: Clarify your core values—the principles that guide your decisions and actions. Identify what truly matters to you and align your life with these values. We view the world, people and our life through lenses of our values. Living in congruence with your values promotes a sense of authenticity and empowers you to make choices that resonate with your inner truth. Keep true to your authenticity, since people-pleasing while you don’t resonate with it, devalues who you are. Values and principles continually develop as we live and apply life, and changing how we feel about something because of knowledge and wisdom, is part of self-improvement and shaping identity. 4. Cultivate Healthy Boundaries: Establishing healthy boundaries is crucial for your mental well-being. Learn to communicate and express your needs and feelings effectively and set limits in relationships, events and various areas of life. Respect your boundaries and honour those of others. This fosters healthy connections, reduces stress, and promotes a balanced sense of self. When you respect yourself, others will too. 5. Apply Life Balance: The Life Enrichment Matrix© is a broad model utilised by JustLive Coaching and Counselling as a platform for creating Life Balance. The purpose of this model is to enrich a person’s life with information, ideas, theories, research, and a broad suitcase of knowledge to contribute to an individual’s self-development and improvement. This is crucial to developing a sound identity, with healthy boundaries and living to your full potential. We offer a Life Balance Life Coaching course where we visit various dimensions which encourage people to Just Live! https://www.justlive.co.za/life-enrichment . Email us to receive the Life Enrichment’s Matrix©. You don’t have to fall into the rut of the rat race of life and work yourself into a stupor. You don’t have to conform to the rest of the world and its ideals, and superficial customs. It is important that you balance your life on all four dimensions, you will still get everything done and will build relationships and a good reputation. After all, you need to be well-balanced, temperate, and sober of mind. You also need to be happy and glad-hearted continually and always. Rephrasing from Dorothy Carnegie’s book, Psychologist Robert W. White, reprimands the societal idea of “it is a person’s job to adjust himself to the forces around him.” And he reflects on the demise of this type of negative thinking where “the person who all-too-successfully adjusts to narrowing channels, monotonous routines, imposed restrictions, and the pressure to fulfil roles, a course of action that can succeed only at the costs of his power to object , to grow, to improve the roles, to invent, to act as a constructive force-in short, to have any creative front in his development.” What he is emphasising here is that – few of us have the courage to stand alone or the clarity of purpose, to know what we stand for. Our behaviour is largely dictated by our social and economic group and environment. We should not adjust ourselves to the forces around us, but live intentionally, fulfilling our vision and living with purpose! You don’t have to be a people pleaser or conform to the social environment, you can stand alone on your opinion, what you decide or who you feel you are in this life. Being comfortable in your own skin and liking yourself, is essential to sound identity. “When this social environment conflicts with our own individual personality, we often become neurotic and miserable. We feel lost and bewildered; we don’t like ourselves.” Dorothy Carnegie. 6. Embrace Self-Care: Prioritize self-care by applying practices that nourish your mind, body, and soul. Engage in activities that rejuvenate you, such as meditation, exercise, spending time in nature, or indulging in a hobby. Self-care enhances your overall well-being, boosts self-esteem, and strengthens your identity. 7. The Psychology of Identity: Often people develop role confusion and identity crises because they haven’t developed the moral excellence or virtue of fidelity, which is the faithfulness and loyalty you acquire as an adolescent (Erikson, 1950). This develops as you search for yourself and ask questions such as “Who am I?”; “Who can I be?”; “Am I comfortable with who I am?”; “Am I part of the community, accepted?” And as your significant relationships such as peers and your role models develop, during the ages of 12-19 years, it creates a perspective in your capability of social relationships and how you treat people such as being loyal and faithful, and through these interactions you create an image of yourself. Erikson’s perspective on the stage of development in people’s lives is clear as one stage of development influences the next stage. For example, in the preceding stage, if you do not develop the virtue of being competent and feel “I can make it in the world of people and things” you develop inferiority. Developing inferiority and low self-esteem as a foundation when you are 6-11 years, influences how you see yourself, your capabilities, what you will become, your temperament, maturity and so many other factors - and influences developing a sound identity. What must I do? --> Change your thinking pattern positively: Improving the way you feel about yourself starts with your thinking pattern, especially your self-talk. Self-talk often turns out to be more than one person speaking in your head, and this becomes a tug of war. Self-talk is the instigator of feelings and emotions. Start by making positive declarations and believing them, practise self-acceptance, dream, be kind to yourself, and allow love and compliments into your life, think positively about yourself so that your thoughts will develop as a pattern and you will start liking yourself. Increasing your self-love will create positive thoughts of self-acceptance and increase your self-worth. Confidence is key! What mustn’t I do? Don’t focus on weaknesses and who you are not: When you focus on your weaknesses and who you are not, and keep on worrying and struggling to be whom others want you to be, or how they think the world “thinks” you should look, you develop anxiety and tension, because you have to create a facade and you build up stress inside because you are not being true to yourself. It’s like a baby bird hatching and can’t wait to burst out of the shell! Don’t compare or compete: “Comparing and competing” takes you back many steps in maturity and self-development, see the quote in “Run hard at self-improvement and growth” hereunder. Being a true image of who you are, is a challenge in this increasingly competing world of social media and artificial intelligence. It is just what it says, “artificial” and an unnecessary competition and loss of energy because you are a real person with marrow and bone, who is created with body, soul, and spirit – you are uniquely Created by God, a Masterpiece in His image (Ephesians 2:10). You are not made to compete with yourself. Developing an unstable identity causes a 'restlessness' within, never being able to experience true joy and authenticity. When people have an endless search for identity, they waste time! They hurt other people around them, especially in family structures. There’s always a discontented feeling inside a person, and nothing internally or externally can saturate this hunger for affirmation, acceptance and fulfilment, and there’s never true joy. These conditions generally expressed by society as identity crises and mid-life crises, are merely acting out of unestablished identities. --> Run hard at self-improvement and growth: It's imperative that you like yourself! It is important to be comfortable with who you are - that you accept and like your body, your voice, and your personality. The hardcore truth is, recreating an identity and fidelity, starts by ‘growing up.’ In her book “Don’t Grow Old – Grow Up!” Dorothy Carnegie emphasises in “Learn to Like Yourself:” “A mature person does not lie awake at night comparing himself unfavourably to others, worrying because he does not have the confidence of Bill Smith or the aggressiveness and push of Jim Jones. He may criticize his own performance at times, he may be aware of his faults and deficiencies, but he approves of his own basic aims and motivations and he tends to spend his energies improving his weak spots rather than merely deploring them. He has the same healthy toleration for himself that he tries to have for others; and he can live with himself without anguish.” Establishing your identity is an ongoing process. It requires self-reflection, exploration, adaptation, and much courage. Courage to step out of your comfort zone, but also the courage to break down and rebuild good things. Developing a strong, sustaining faith and relationship with God contributes to mental and emotional health, strengthening your identity! Embrace the uniqueness that lies within you and celebrate your individuality. Your identity is a powerful force that can positively impact your mental health and enable you to lead a fulfilling life. I can write more, and more, about this subject since many people are lost in their identity, but I would much rather chat with you and share more exciting self-improvement possibilities. You can book a free session with me on the website at: https://www.justlive.co.za/service-page/free-online-session If you would like to journey with me in developing your self-potential and self-worth contact me for more information about our customised courses. Elvira Life Coach elvira@justlive.co.za www.justlive.co.za “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” George Bernard Shaw

​

“Good food warms the heart and feeds the soul.” ― A.D. Posey As we are all for Time Management at JustLive – here is a Fun Economical Quick Recipe INSTANT TUNA CHAKALAKA Ingredients: (Choose your own amount of people) · Any type of Pasta or Gluten-free Pasta or even rice or Basmati rice · Tuna · Tin of Chakalaka or home-made Chakalaka · Mayonnaise or oil-free Mayonnaise or Banting prepared Mayonnaise · Cheese Method: (Have this dish as a hot bake or cold salad) - Cook the pasta or rice (allow it time to cool off if you are preparing your dish for cold) - Mix the tuna; Chakalaka; & Mayonnaise together – taste and decide if you feel like adding Sweet Chili sauce to sweeten it up - Combine pasta/rice with the tuna-chakalaka mix - Move it to an oiled or non-stick sprayed dish - Grate enough cheese on top to cover your dish - Bake for 30 minutes in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celcius (356 degrees Fahrenheit) until your dish is warm throughout and the cheese melted Enjoy this dish just as instantly and quickly as it is! Or use your imagination and be creative and enjoy what you want and how you want it. However, the dish could contain allergens, and you must be warned - this dish could be categorised as 'comfort food' ; ) -With thanks to JustLive Coaching & Counselling-

Mindfulness in the workplace has become a hot topic in recent years as people are becoming more aware of the impact that stress and burnout can have on both individuals and organisations. For those in leadership positions, the benefits of incorporating mindfulness into their daily routine can be especially significant. In this article, we just touch on ‘Mindfulness’ but in the online life coaching session we'll explore more deeply how mindfulness can play a role in leadership development and help leaders become more effective in their roles. One of the most important benefits of mindfulness is that it helps to reduce stress and increase focus. In a fast-paced, high-pressure workplace environment, it can be easy to become overwhelmed and lose sight of what's truly important. Mindfulness practices such as meditation, deep breathing, and yoga can help to quiet the mind and refocus attention on the present moment, which can help to reduce stress and increase productivity. Another way in which mindfulness can benefit leaders is by helping them to become more aware of their thoughts and emotions. Leaders who are in tune with their feelings and reactions are better equipped to understand and respond to the needs of their team members. In the online training session, we pursue Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace and how leadership development benefits from emotional regulation amidst so much reactivity. This increased self-awareness can also help leaders to avoid becoming defensive or reactive in challenging situations, which can improve communication and collaboration. In addition to improving self-awareness, mindfulness can also help leaders to develop empathy and compassion for others. By taking a step back from the distractions and demands of daily life, leaders can gain a clearer perspective on the experiences of their team members and customers. This can help them to make more informed decisions that take into account the needs and perspectives of others. Finally, mindfulness can play an important role in developing resilience and adaptability. Leaders who can remain calm and focused under pressure are better equipped to handle the challenges and uncertainties that arise in the workplace. By developing a mindfulness practice, leaders can build a strong foundation of inner peace and stability that they can draw upon in even the most challenging of circumstances. In conclusion, incorporating mindfulness into leadership development can bring many benefits to both individuals and organisations. By reducing stress, improving self-awareness, developing empathy, and building resilience, leaders can become more effective in their roles and better equipped to navigate the challenges of the modern workplace. Mindfulness also considers life balance and the sustainability of relationships. So why not give it a try and see the benefits for yourself? BOOK a one-hour online session with me to find out more – https://www.justlive.co.za/booking-calendar/online-life-coaching-counseling Elvira Life Coach & Counsellor JustLive Coaching & Counselling elvira@justlive.co.za www.justlive.co.za "Mindfulness is the secret of mental peace." -Bhante Gunaratana

Managing emotions and our genuine feelings is not an easy task for human nature, such as pain, fear, anxiety, loss, anger, conflict and tension. We are quick to fire with the tongue and damage the atmosphere with our behaviour since our tendency to justify our opinions, stance and fight for our rights surpasses the unselfishness of considering the worlds of others. We are either quick to react with fury and expression or dangerously quiet with our internal rage. Self-regulation is part of being emotionally intelligent, a key area of personal skills. It encompasses managing your emotions, inner resources, abilities, behaviour AND thoughts and contains the ability to manage and control impulses. Learning to self-regulate takes time and patience! It is a deliberate decision and choice to change an unfavourable behaviour, action and expression. It is a reshaping of your inner-being, which coincides with much hard work, deliberation and courage to make it work. This is the ultimate successful path to self-improvement and growth to becoming a better person. To develop emotional strength (resilience) we have to carefully navigate our way within how our thoughts shape our life. It does not matter how dire your circumstances are and how much you have lost or gained – your thoughts are going to steer you to – either success – or defeat! Your thoughts develop patterns as you - do the same thing, consistently, the same, over and over again. And then you start again and engrain the habit into your brain that it is like a merry-go-round! If it developed into a favourable, joyful ‘thinking pattern’ of fulfilment and contentment – you would be experiencing the merriness of the round-about – and you would develop ‘Emotional Grit’ while laughing at the trials and tribulations life throw at you. However, we are so engulfed in overpowering self-pity generated by an ongoing pattern of negative thoughts, hurt, pain and unhappiness – that we get stuck in the monotonousness of a roundabout of turmoiled negative thoughts that are going - nowhere! They torment us and deprive us of emotional courage and start a destructive cycle. If we choose climbing on the positive merry-go-round of constructive thinking – we could position ourselves to develop ‘ JustLive’s Emotional Grit© .’ "Developing Emotional Grit©" is a diagram with containers that can assist you with awareness of your 'thinking patterns.' The container of 'thinking patterns' often develops from positive or negative experiences. They initiate from an experience that has content. This 'Content' is either: - truth; or lies; or real or stories/assumptions. Within the 'content' exists: - opportunity; & - a chance to change; or not change. This 'thinking pattern' container proposes the possibility of an individual developing strength or stagnation (not developing strength). ‘Thinking patterns’ will dictate what happens next. Will the pattern developed be constructive or destroy you? How worthy are you as a person? How much do you love yourself? ‘Self-love’ will develop from your 'thinking pattern.' This sets up the perspective of how you will courageously approach things because you know you are worth it, and you are strong to move forward. If you have a strong ‘self-worth’ you will know that on this life journey where you have lived events and experiences - that you deserve good treatment; you have a purpose; you are precious; unique; are valuable and you are entitled to be loved! If you do not feel you are worth the journey – you will allow doubts; low self-esteem; low self-image; and degenerative thoughts to develop about your value. When you do not like yourself – you do not care how you treat yourself during the race of life, and emotional fatigue holds you back weakening your resilience . When your 'thinking patterns' develop from the experiences that have occurred in your life, and how you feel about yourself – this will orchestrate and initiate 'self-talk .' Inside this container, you talk to yourself and you either talk yourself 'positive' or 'negative' and this moves the trail of thoughts on and on like a train. And so your 'self-talk' steers you, it is often the instigator to erupting emotions. Your 'thinking pattern' becomes stronger - developed and strengthened by your 'self-worth' and 'self-talk' either building you up (stronger emotionally) or breaking you down (weakening your emotional strength). This creates ' emotions and feelings ' that either escalate positively or negatively. These emotions and feelings create an attitude inside us that manifests in either good or bad behaviour. Our emotions direct our actions and cause a 'physiological' reaction. The 'physiological' reactions that we experience are physical bodily and mentally manifested. If we are happy - our brain experiences joyful emotions and secretes serotonin; dopamine, oxytocin and endorphins, making us feel good, full of vitality and healthy. This strong courageous physical motion – allows us to be emotionally strong – taking on life with vigour! When we experience anxiety, stress, pain and fear - our brain experiences either over secretion of adrenaline (epinephrine), cortisol, and other hormones or it experiences depreciation of certain hormones such as estrogen and progesterone levels that drop. Whichever way the negative emotions and feelings have a direct negative effect on us 'Physiologically' making us feel sick, lethargic and depressed. This weak defeated physical motion – makes us emotionally weak – depleting our life and allowing us to feel powerless. This in turn has a direct effect on the development of our 'thinking patterns .' Repeating the cycle. What we experience 'Physiologically' affects our 'thinking patterns' - if we feel pain and depression we will develop a negative 'thinking pattern' and if we have experienced anxiety, stress and tension - our 'thinking patterns' will more likely move to be on a negative trail of destruction. This diagram shows how one container affects the other in a circular direction, and how the vicious circle affects our life. We require much discipline, introspection and careful choice of how we are going to regulate our emotions, to develop emotional grit ! It is important that we develop good 'thinking patterns' and habits in life, where we do good things, consistently good, over and over again with an objective of developing a sound mind, full of power and love! Should you require help in regulating and dealing with emotions and living a balanced life, please contact me, since JustLive aims to assist you in goals that could change your life forever! Elvira JustLive Coach elvira@justlive.co.za “I don't want to be at the mercy of my emotions. I want to use them, to enjoy them, and to dominate them.” ― Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray Please revert to the Terms of Use and Privacy accepted in the www.justlive.co.za website with regards to content. Extensive research has been done for courses and articles and the necessary people recognised, but please when requoting and paraphrasing anything from JustLive documents honour the writer/s of the documents. Please honour the JustLive Copyrighted material and terms as per Terms of Use. Free distribution of JustLive coaching material and terms are prohibited – please respect the Copyright and effort put into compiling JustLive Life Balance Coaching Courses© and rather refer friends, family and colleagues for coaching to JustLive.

"You cannot stay in your growth-zone and comfort-zone at the same time." -Charles Barry. The JustLive Life Enrichment Matrix© focuses on the four dimensions of life, wherein one of the ways you can create spiritual and emotional fitness is by aspiring to: --> Stopping bad habits and changing course. Make a choice. Make a decision to STOP the bad habit. Change course. Implement the change. For transformation to occur in your life – you need to renew your mind daily! This results in changing your way of thinking – ultimately changing your way of doing things! Action Plan: As you change course – consider spending 20 minutes a day first thing in the morning - in Reflection - by esteeming and contributing to your spiritual health. Write down – things that you regret, bad habits and patterns you need to discard, hurts and scars - detox your mind, feel sorrow for the bad patterns and dispose of it with an intention to change your life for the better and changing course. Write down - new things you aspire to reach for - goals to positively optimise your life and new patterns of living. Schedule these new habits and mark them on your calendar daily. Give it time - be patient with yourself, transformation takes time - perseverance will make you win! Transformation is an ongoing process of pain, falling and getting up again. Stopping bad habits – guarantees a change in life! " Nothing happens until the pain of remaining the same outweighs the pain of change. ” -Arthur Burt If you need help with changing course – contact JustLive Coaching & Counseling! info@justlive.co.za

The main objective of JustLive’s Coaching is to guide people to establish a consistent, healthy, Life Balance. Within this, the goal is - to reach a reality wherein each individual experiences joy and fulfilment by reaching their full potential of balance in their life, over all the dimensions of the Life Enrichment Matrix© https://www.justlive.co.za/life-enrichment The Life Enrichment Matrix© is a broad model utilised by JustLive Coaching as a platform of knowledge and self-development and improvement. This encompasses four facets of life which focuses on the fitness of an individual’s wellbeing and entails, mental and relational fitness; spiritual and emotional fitness; physical and nutritional fitness; and financial, work and career fitness. Various dimensions which make an individual Just Live! Why is the The Life Enrichment Matrix© important? It is a guide to Life Balance, but also a journey where individuals aim at reaching life goals that are sustainable, reality-based, tangible and not based on feelings. It is building courage to step out in a determined direction in order to succeed in living optimally, because of a person's predetermined choice and decision, to cherish time and make time to smell the roses! The objective of the JustLive Life Balance Coaching Course © is, that after receiving some guidance in your Life Balance and how you can master being fit within the four quadrants of the Mental and relational dimension; Spiritual and Emotional; Physical and Nutritional; and the Financial, work and career dimensions - that the purposeful and significant goals that are created during the course and pursued – will improve the quality of your life and others, after you have exerted the challenging effort required to accomplish them. The journey of the Life Balance course is like the process of the growth of a tree, it starts with the germination of a seed (vision & goals) and needs some care; nutrition and certain circumstances to become a full-grown luscious, deeply rooted tree. The process is continuous and cannot thrive from instant cultivation, but consists of purposeful effort, perseverance and determination to get the vision you envisage. Should you desire to cultivate and learn Life Balance - contact us for this valuable course at: info@justlive.co.za Elvira JustLive Coach elvira@justlive.co.za It takes vision and courage to create - it takes faith and courage to prove. -Owen D. Young

https://www.facebook.com/100582014987147/posts/297074342004579/?d=n

Consider our interactive online self-image course to discover who you are! Inquire at info@justlive.co.za

Do you have the desire to grow and improve? Can you honestly say YOU LOVE YOURSELF! If you are challenged with self-love - slot in with us to improve your self-worth in a self-worth discovery walk. Let us walk the journey with you in finding out 'who you are'! Contact us at info@justlive.co.za

Daily routine tasks, work and responsibilities can be encompassed within all four quadrants of JustLive’s Life Enrichment Matrix©: Our daily routine tasks, work and responsibilities are found and applied in each quadrant of our life. Mentally we have to keep a sound mind and fill our minds with positivity, keep it stimulated with motivational media and feed our brain sufficiently. In our relationships we come across many things we need to do to maintain good relationships with friends, colleagues and our loved ones such as our partners, spouses, children and siblings. We need to fill our relations emotional banks with positive funds so that we can reap the returns. Relational responsibilities are of great essence to maintaining our close support groups. In our spiritual and emotional dimension it is important that we sustain a good healthy spirit, mind, soul and body. During the planning of our routine tasks and schedules, investing into our spiritual and emotional dimension is of utmost importance to staying healthy in our emotions. Our tasks and responsibilities are ever so prominent in our physical and nutritional quadrant, as we have a responsibility of purchasing healthy foods and eating healthy diets as well as exercising sufficiently for our brain and body to work optimally. Attending to our financial and career dimension is part of our daily routines, and many times some tasks are required there, such as setting up and keeping to the schedule of a monthly payment plan (budget). Taking our financial responsibility seriously by working at our careers continuously and contributing to our skills, education and further training is of great essence to a healthy, happy working environment. When you are feeling low, down and depressed with no vigor to take on your daily tasks never-mind taking on life, here are some considerations to assist your low demeanor and poor mindset so that you can take on the responsibilities of the day successfully and effectively:- Embrace the worth you add to life - Look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself that yόú love you! Make a positive declaration - that something good is going to happen to you today. Eat healthy and exercise – even if you just take a short brisk walk, after doing this the hormones excreted will contribute to uplifting your mindset. As we are building a positive mindset here – realize your mind can be your worst enemy! You ‘trail’ thought after thought, therefor it is your decision and choice, and therefor it will also be your choice to see the situation you find yourself in as a problem or a challenge. Whichever one you will choose will produce some or other emotion and thought. Decide today to learn from your challenge, rather see it as an opportunity than a problem and create a new positive mindset with positive feelings. Changing your outlook, can restructure the picture of your circumstance - what you look like outwardly will reflect what you feel like internally. Therefor dress up nicely, practice good personal-hygiene and make yourself look like a million dollars, even if you are going to stay at home. Always dress “inter-viewable.” Ensure that your environment (outwardly) is ordered, neat and clean, it will support your inner world. Also clean your mind and heart of clutter by forgiving, letting go of bitterness and resentment – having an orderly clean heart and mind will ensure that you experience joy and fulfillment and attain vigor for facing the day, no matter what your actual circumstances are. When you change yourself, the perspective of your circumstance changes! Perseverance at doing it better – growing exerts pain - every day is a new day, a new self, a new opportunity to do it different and try again! “Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up” Thomas Edison . Take on the opportunity to learn from yesterdays challenges and make a decision to think differently about it - and do it different! Do not give up, doing the right thing, the right way over and over again is what is going to bring success. The weaver finch tries over and over again at perfecting the nest he builds, he tears it down and starts over again, multiple times….he perseveres and does not give up at workmanship that was already perfect. 7. Develop a mindset of a victor – not a victim – you are the sum of your choices and decisions pertaining to your current situation. Victors take on responsibility, they acknowledge it, make choices, embrace the power they have and live in freedom. Victims don’t take responsibility, blame others, justify why they are depressed, deny their part in it, and quit quickly. Explore and embrace options – when you have multiple possibilities and opportunities you feel that you are taking control! Take personal responsibility for your own thoughts and behaviors, since you CAN get out of your tough times. You are responsible for your mentality and demeanor, take charge of it and what you must do - to experience joy and fulfillment! After exploring that which influences and affects our demeanor and how it affects the manner in which daily routine tasks, work and responsibilities are performed and approached, our next article considers how to attend to these tasks effectively and wisely. Should life be too demanding of you and you need to speak to someone, please contact us and take advantage of the free session should you be struggling to cope, experience depression and despair or need to chat with someone. Elvira JustLive Coach elvira@justlive.co.za www.justlive.co.za “The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.” Jack London

When referring to tasks of life and nutritional responsibilities , we are referring to the routine and daily tasks and responsibilities we have as individuals that contribute to our Life Balance. It ranges from getting up in the morning; to making the bed; to cleaning ourselves up; dressing; mowing the lawn; and making meals; including the purchasing of groceries and responsibility of buying nutritious food; custodianship of managing our finances and household bills; and other daily chores that fill our lives. In the Life Enrichment Matrix© life balance within the daily responsibilities of our homes, work, finances, fitness and nutrition is essential for ultimate joy and fulfillment, as soon as we spend more time on the one, the other is neglected, therefor it is important to keep to routines and schedules in order to complete daily tasks and balance our life. In the physical and nutritional quadrant we aim to contribute to the fitness levels of our bodies and add or contribute to healthy nutritional choices. Within this dimension normal life happens and it is of utmost importance that we reach our goals of completing our plans and schedules which encompass our routine tasks, life and responsibilities. Therefor Life Balance in daily tasks, life and responsibilities has been applied within the Physical and Nutritional quadrant of the LEM© , since it exerts an amount of physical responsibility and endurance to apply our minds to physically do our daily tasks and routine activities. It syncs within the Mental and Relational dimension too, since to be successful we require careful short- and long term planning and scheduling of our lives, wherein embedded are a community of people in relationship with us working together to balance life effectively. Stephen Covey suggests: “Putting first things first means organizing and executing around your most important priorities. It is living and being driven by the principles you value most, not by the agendas and forces surrounding you.” Routine tasks, chores, work and responsibilities can be defined as things that originally occur at home, personally, and flow over to school, work or university. It entails things such as: brushing your teeth; practicing personal hygiene; dressing; cleaning the house; washing dishes and clothes; drying and ironing clothes; taking out the refuse; attending to the pool; getting mail; routine doctors appointments; paying bills; paying for workers of sort; cleaning and attending to the garden if you have one; attending to your vehicle or bicycle; filling up with fuel; purchasing bus, train or taxi tickets; buying groceries; purchasing chronic medicine; attending to any other health issues such as routine dental check-ups; assisting family members or members of the community with something; making nutritious meals for the day; exercising and also having some fun and enjoyment. Many of these tasks could flow over into being done at our workplace and other places, other than our homes. Every day we have normal routine tasks and chores to do in life. We brush our teeth, wash, and dress and get ready for the day. We look after our bodies by eating meals, exercising and keeping our minds busy. But for some people life has too many demands and they struggle to do anything, never mind getting to do the routine tasks, chores and taking care of the personal hygiene of the day, getting up or going to work. Often life becomes too much and gets the better of you while the schedule is getting fuller, and the planning is become too intricate trying to satisfy everyone and a sense of heaviness creeps in. It could be that you are struggling with an illness, perhaps you have lost your job and you are fiercely looking for employment, and the stresses and pressures of bills are piling up. Maybe depression has developed and hopelessness and despair have taken up your whole being and you do not feel like moving or existing, since your helplessness has made you feel like giving up. It might even be as simple as that your body is feeling depleted, tired and energy-less and you feel as if you cannot commence doing your routine tasks and chores of the day. What could you possibly do to drag yourself out of the doldrums? First get to grips with what it is, that has caused your deterioration and poor demeanor? Dr. Carol Morgan concludes that distress could occur when a person resists how the reality of their situation is. Should you be able to change something, do something about it. Immediately impose the necessary change. Do not resist - logically we cannot change our unemployment or illness immediately, but we can change how we think about it! We can initiate doing something about it. Is there possibly an opportunity embedded within this challenge? You can accept the current temporary situation and make a choice to release negativity and replace it with an opposite positivity – lined with appreciation of what you currently have now – today! Make a choice to not obsess about the current situation and deliberately take your mind somewhere else - go for a brisk walk; do an online free course; educate your mind with research on interesting life-contributing subjects; or listen to liberating music. Mindset is a decision! There is always hope! Start moving forward, no matter how slow - you might stumble across the opportunity waiting for you! Realize you cannot do it alone ! You need help! We should embrace our responsibilities, experience their liberating effect as they invigorate us to desire the experience of feeling joy and fulfillment. Sometimes stress, worry and anxiety fills our days more than achievements do. Please contact us and take advantage of the free session should you be struggling to cope, experience anxiety and pressure and require assistance or need to chat with someone. Elvira JustLive Coach elvira@justlive.co.za www.justlive.co.za "As arduous as it may initially seem to take responsibility for ensuring that our choices are aligned with our values, when we do so, we take back our freedom to live with integrity." Zoe Weil

​

The Lord says, “Love is your key to freedom in the situations you encounter. There is no love in the darkness. Love destroys the powers and strongholds over you and other people. Without love, you have nothing. It is through love that all things will truly shift in your life. Many mistake love for pain. Love is not the cause or source of pain. Change your mindset to see the lies of the enemy before you. The enemy desires that you feel rejected and abandoned but this is not the road I have you on! The more you give out, the increase of more you will get in return. It was Love that was the result of the Cross. It was love that drove Me to create all things of beauty for you to enjoy each and every day. I know no other way than to Love."
(Contributed by Replenished Hope Ministries Prophecy 23 January 2021)

Be compassionate, kind, tenderhearted, and patient. Endure one another in love, and forgive any offences and people who have treated you wrongly. Love - unites everything & everyone! How about wiping out the feelings of resentment, anger, bitterness, unforgiveness and revenge and superseding them with adoration, forgiveness and tenderness and most of all love ! Decluttering your heart – opens up new opportunities and smooths your journey! "Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself." Suzanne Somers

We’re heading the time of the year where most people are reaching deadlines, project goals and objectives. And it’s here where the procrastination monster appears when you need him least. I share an extract from JustLive’s Life Balance Coaching Program module (Life Balance in the Mental & Relational dimension) and the effects of time-wasters and how procrastination impedes mental coherence and has a direct effect on relationships. The secret of mental health derives from emotional intelligence, which results in regulation of emotions (self-regulation); practicing of self-control; and living mindful by building resilience (mental strength) (as elaborated on JustLive’s previous Life Balance Coaching Program module on the spiritual and emotional dimension). Without vision, people are directionless, unrestrained and have no direction and perish. It is essential to live your life and mind structured and orderly, to reach successful heights each individual requires vision which consists of measurable goals, an effective structure, goal-driven schedule and good planning. If you do not exercise self-control daily and allow distractions, disruptions, and assumptions to rule your mind, you will create a platform of chaos, wherein your goals will be unachieved, you will not be focused, and your plans will be uncompleted. Effect of Time-wasters on your mental health: Time-wasters can derail your thought patterns, plans or focus. An example, should you be busy with your work and calculating a complicated calculation, or coding a program, or performing any other priorities and you get a notification on your computer or cellphone from one of your applications such as WhatsApp or Facebook (the choice is vast…) – you will probably find yourself immersed therein and before you know it you have wasted 20 minutes or more, forgotten your trail of thought and the essence of the calculation, and you lose rhythm. No matter what task you are busy with, when you lose rhythm you lose the effectiveness and quality invested therein. The best is to schedule a specific time for social media or even replying to emails and keep to a sustainable plan and schedule. You require self-discipline and commitment to enforce focus. Time-wasters have an emotional impact. Time-wasters promote disappointment; irritation; and anxiety. Should you have a deadline or priority to focus on, the wasting of time shortens your period of effectiveness and efficiency and as this escalates the intensity of your emotional stance increases and forms negativity. By being assertive with distractions and interruptions the boundary will keep you secure and goal-driven, and your emotions regulated. Time-wasters limit progress on schedules, work or tasks that have to be completed. Organize your life effectively, your house, kitchen, cupboards, and office. When the rest of your life is organised – your mind feels organised too and you can work effectively. A clutter- free life increases motivation which in turn increases productivity. Clutter can cause unnecessary time-wasting and increase frustration. You will have to apply discipline and mindfulness when organizing your life. Time-wasters dishonor deadlines. Take responsibility for your time-wasting – reminisce on your values and principles. It is important to respect all people and systems, when you respect you build honor. Build in extra time to accommodate time-wasters when you have deadlines and practice assertiveness. Time-wasters increase procrastination. People sometimes allow time to be wasted rather than attend to the difficult time-consuming task at hand, since the intensity of their priority evokes a feeling that they know the task will take a lot out of them, and the intensity can exhaust and promote lethargy. At first avoidance feels more comfortable, until the monster arises. The irony is that procrastination will cause an emotional exhaustion and lethargy because of the tension created from the postponement. The effects of procrastination:- Procrastination’s monster can destroy mental effectivity and cloud your mind. The effect of the tension is dire on your physical and emotional self . Procrastination can be very self-harming – it influences all the dimensions of your life – mental; spiritual; emotional; physical & nutritional; work; and especially your relational dimension. Procrastination turns out to be a very selfish act - The effects of procrastination on relationships can be devastating – your loved ones, friends and colleagues all experience the negative effects of YOUR stress, anxiety, and turmoil. The fact that you are complied to bundle up and squash everything that has been procrastinated into a minimal amount of time and with so much tension escalating, destroys relationships and your happiness and mental well-being. You don’t just neglect yourself, you hurt others and throw you life off-balance. Planning, effective scheduling and assertiveness (BOUNDARIES) can protect you. Do not deviate from your plan and schedule - be loyal. Mostly loyal to yourself! Practice responsibility – first think of being responsible to your loved ones (your support structure) – then be responsible by doing what needs to be done – immediately! Ensure exercise is in your schedule to promote positive mental health, but when experiencing lethargy - intense breathing exercises and stepping away for a moment could revive the moment. Qualities in your character that you can improve on to discourage time-wasting: Build determination Exercise healthy patterns and habits Decide to practice discipline continuously Build commitment Build accountability Build healthy boundaries Keep to your word, commitment and promises Practice assertiveness with your boundaries Stay goal-driven Practice mindfulness & awareness continuously Reflect on personal values and principles regularly Learn from your mistakes: During the pressing times of completing tasks and meeting deadlines, such a relief and feel-good is felt after the pressure was experienced - that people easily forget what just transpired in their lives. Invariably it turns out that your support system sustained your mentality, assisted you, stood by you during the pressing times and supported the work and projects that had to be completed. But when the dust settles down, these people often remain with much hurt and damage done to their hearts. We should be aware of the impact procrastination has on relationships, so that we do not delay doing the tasks and projects requiring our immediate attention, and meet deadlines in future. It is also important to learn that although a certain amount of pressure promotes a “drive” that increases our productivity and could be beneficial to complete the work, this adrenaline that is excreted during this stress is also potentially harmful to our health. Experiencing excessive and frequent levels of adrenaline can damage your blood vessels, increase blood pressure, cause heart damage, therefor advance the risk of heart attacks or strokes, cause insomnia, nervous conditions, weight gain, headaches and result in further anxiety. We should cultivate awareness of procrastination on our health, and aspire to structure our time wisely. To maintain good mental health people need to keep their mind in a rut of healthy thought patterns. Your brain requires healthy, effective electrical impulses to think clearly. It takes practice doing the right thing, right, over and over again, until your thinking and behaviour consistently change. To maintain satisfactory Life balance in all quadrants of your life, you need a sound mind. Sustainability of thinking patterns, fitness, good nutrition, will follow as a result of the development of a good mind-set, which is based on the commitment of a positive course of action. You do have control over your mind, and since you are the custodian of your decisions – you can choose and control what goes into your mind. Therefor, establish vision, take direction and focus! Set goals, plan, work according to a structure and schedule. Don't delay - time is precious! Please contact us should you be struggling to cope, experience anxiety and pressure and require assistance or need to chat with someone. Elvira JustLive Coach elvira@justlive.co.za www.justlive.co.za “You may delay, but time will not, and lost time is never found again.” Benjamin Franklin

It is exam season and students are establishing their futures, careers and commencing educational challenges. How is your current lifestyle – how are you living, your daily routines and habits? Are you balancing all the quadrants of your life to cope sufficiently during your life together with additional things such as exams? Here are some coping strategies to assist you during these tough times. MENTAL & RELATIONAL QUADRANT Rest & relax – perhaps lock-down has dealt you much rest, perhaps you have worked harder than ever, but this is different – crunch time has enough Adrenalin & other brain hormones to activate your brain yet pressure anxiety and stress on you! Make a point to rest your brain, in other words, listen to music or do something out of the box to “click” your brain out of your current circumstance such as breathing or taking a short walk – so that your brain can rest & relax. Look out for the beautiful things in life, seek humor and ensure you laugh a lot! Sleep – get quality and enough sleep – to revive your mental productivity! It also builds up energy & while you are sleeping your brain arranges whatever you learnt during the day into the correct memory boxes. Try to keep to a designated sleeping schedule in order to keep to a routine. Connect with people - do not isolate yourself completely although during a time of intense study it is necessary to focus & be responsible by arranging your life to concentrate on your studies & not your social life. By connecting with your support system; emotionally supportive people; or a co-student; or family member makes you feel that you are not alone in your challenge. If you require assistance & it helps you with coping – ask for help be it with the actual learning work or emotional assistance from family & friends. SPIRITUAL & EMOTIONAL QUADRANT Reflect & meditate – contribute positively to your spiritual world. While reflecting & building your strength with meditation; find an emotionally supportive person who cares for you to whom you can express your overwhelming feelings so that you can vent your anxiety, pressure & negativity. Releasing these emotions will make the journey easier. Get to grips with your emotions - by taking control of your feelings – ensures you win the race halfway! You might experience anxiety and feel overwhelmed, but use the hyped-up feelings to your advantage such as working harder at your challenge and being determined to win. Own up to your responsibility of learning – put your head down & work! Practice breathing exercises – take three deep breaths in & out; & exercise relaxation such as “progressive muscle relaxation” by tensing all your muscles and then relaxing them (refer: https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/uz2225) Positively envision the end result – this will give purpose to your hard work & effort you are putting in now & makes it worthwhile. PHYSICAL & NUTRITIONAL QUADRANT Exercise – many people stop exercising when studying because of the pressure. Persistently & consistently continue exercising since it will assist your brain to excrete positive hormones which will motivate you in the long run. Taking a short run or walk will help “clicking” your brain out of the monotonous rhythm that consumes your mind during intense studies. Being in touch with the outside world will make you experience some freedom! Make sure your exercise regime is in your planned schedule. Eat well – Eating brain foods and a well-balanced diet that energizes you physically will contribute and assist you mentally. Avoid alcohol and too much caffeine. Try to refrain from eating sugar, saturated fats and comfort foods, since they tend to make a person feel lethargic quicker than the instant boost felt when initially eating them (Refer: https://www.justlive.co.za/post/feeding-your-brain-optimizes-your-mentality). Hydrate – drink enough water, since your brain consists of 70-75% water! Water improves and maintains memory function, concentration & cognition, & balances your mood & emotions. WORK & FINANCIAL QUADRANT Keep good rhythm – keep up a good rhythm & routine wherein you work according to a plan and work consistently. When you work according to a plan the structure brings order & security, which makes you feel at ease. This ascertains that you go through all your work adequately, especially if you are working & learning at the same time. Do it now – refrain from procrastinating! As soon as you neglect or leave out one day or one subject you will invariably not attend to it again, or you might not spend enough time on it! It is important to rethink your habits – habits guide the direction you are taking. Press-through for success – be a robust grounded work-horse who does what is required to get the result of success – no matter what it takes - even if you get blisters & bleed along the way! The study input you are investing now – will bring about financial success in the future. The quadrants refer to the four quadrants of the Life Enrichment Matrix of JustLive's Life Balance concept. Should you balance these quadrants in your life, the fitness of these dimensions could bring you joy and fulfillment. Please contact us should you be struggling to cope, experience anxiety and pressure and require assistance or need to chat with someone during this stressful time. Elvira JustLive Coach elvira@justlive.co.za Jacques JustLive Coach jacques@justlive.co.za www.justlive.co.za *for online bookings “You can do it – just believe you can!” Elvira

Mental Health: Brain nutrition Feeding your brain – optimizes your mentality! It is of utmost importance to invest in your mental health! Neuroscientist Dr Lisa Mosconi emphasizes that brain nutrition should be a person’s priority. As you feed your brain beneficial foods and hydration, your mind will be optimized, rejuvenated and energized to function satisfactorily. After all, the brain is the organ which uses the most energy in the body and consumes twenty per cent of the body’s energy. In the study of Erika Calvo-Ochoa and Clorinda Arias (March 1, 2019) their observations concluded that the foods people eat that are high in sugar and saturated fats (harmful fats found in processed foods) result in obesity, other illnesses, deficiencies, and affect the hippocampus of the brain very negatively. The hippocampus of the brain is responsible for memory, constructing new memories, memory encoding, memory consolidation and organizing your memories into the boxes of your brain structures. It also regulates motivation, learning, emotions and spatial navigation. The hippocampus is very detrimental to human cognition. Furthermore, Calvo-Ochoa and Arias found that the saturated fats immediately damage brain neurons by modifying the way the neurons use their electrical signals (energy), as well as proliferating the molecules that are responsible for stress and inflammation. This study together with many other research studies corroborates the urgent necessity of eating for your brain! Feeding your brain:- Facts - start by basing your thoughts on facts - which include the real things you see and hear, not on the stories (assumptions) you perceive. Habits - be aware of working at the negative patterns, routines and habits in your life – so that you can develop new sound positive behaviours. Thinking patterns - by initiating change in ineffective routines and habitual patterns – will make it easier to work at the pattern change of your negative thinking habits, and will promote positive thinking. Educate and train your brain – by filling your mind with knowledge and wisdom you are feeding your brain with valuable information. Stimulating your mind with new information by researching different topics; or listening to educational TED talks or motivational YouTube videos; reading or listening to eBooks, develops your general knowledge and contributes to your brains word recognition and increases the fitness level of your brain. This stimulation keeps your mind active, increases brain development and keeps the neurons moving. It also encourages broadening your knowledge field in many things, equipping you for good social and work-related discussions and networking, it optimizes emotional intelligence, and supports good relationships. Spend time with the right kind of people - people that will build and contribute to the strengths of your self-worth and temperament. Forgive and let go. Nutritionally:- Extensive research is available on foods that contribute to the wholeness of our brain, foods which optimize them for best functioning and keep our brain healthy. A small amount of this extensive research on foods and supplements that will nourish your brain is recognized here. Eat foods that nourish your brain - The following extensive research contributes to brain nutrition, protection and especially toward the optimal functioning of brain cognition such as memory. Fatty fish (salmon, trout, sardines – rich in OMEGA 3 fatty acids) – builds brain & nerve cells; essential for learning & memory. Blueberries – antioxidant & anti-inflammatory effects – assist stress & inflammation; aging & neurodegenerative diseases; improve communication between brain cells; improve memory & delay short-term memory loss. Turmeric – the curcumin in turmeric increases absorption – enters brain and benefits the cells - it is anti-inflammatory & an antioxidant which benefits memory; eases depression; & excels new brain cells. Broccoli – high in Vitamin K – forms sphingolipids (a fat in brain cells); promotes better memory; anti-inflammatory & antioxidant – assisting brain against damage Pumpkin seeds – is an antioxidant – protects the body & brain from free radicals; it is a source of magnesium (it assists learning & memory & deters neurological diseases such as migraines, depression & epilepsy), iron (deters brain fog & impaired brain functioning), zinc (nerve signals & deters neurological conditions) & copper (controls nerve signals, deters neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s) Cocoa powder (unsweetened) (found in dark chocolate) – is a brain boosting element & contains flavonoids (antioxidant plant elements), caffeine & antioxidants – this increases learning & memory, & slows down age-related mental decline. Cocoa is also seen as a mood enhancer increasing serotonin levels. Nuts (Almonds, Pistachios, Walnuts, Pecans, Macadamias (monosaturated fats), Brazil (selenium), Hazel) – healthy fats , antioxidants & vitamin E - good for heart health which increases brain health. Improves cognition, memory & assists neurodegenerative diseases. Vitamin E protects membranes from free radicals & decreases mental decline. Omega-3 fatty acids in nuts are very beneficial for your brain. Flaxseed oil & powder – it contains high concentrations of Omega-3 fatty acids & lignans (which are building blocks that form cells) as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties – which support protection against brain injuries. Flaxseed provides neuroprotective strategies to the brain. Increasing cellular responses in the brain – flaxseed increases the responses of neuron electricity (how fast the receptors pick up the responses) (Mokhtari, Akbari & Sadeghi, 2017). Oranges, bell peppers, guava, kiwi, tomatoes & strawberries – prevent mental diseases. Protect brain against mental aging & Alzheimer’s. Antioxidant Vitamin C fights free radicals & supports brain health & aging. Eggs – nutrients in eggs increase brain health, contain Vitamin B6 & B12 , folate & choline . Choline (egg yolk) – creates acetylcholine – a neurotransmitter which regulates mood, memory & increases mental functioning. Vitamin B’s – combat depression as well as folate ; it also decreases mental decline in the elderly. Folic acid combats mental diseases such as Dementia. B12 combines brain chemicals & regulates sugar levels in the brain. Green tea – caffeine in green tea just like coffee – increases brain function such as alertness, performance, memory & focus. It increases brain health with – L-theanine (amino acid which increases brain absorption - and increases activity of the neurotransmitter GABA – reducing anxiety & relaxing & calming people. It also increases alpha waves in the brain – calming you when fatigued (counterbalances the active effect of caffeine). It is also rich in polyphenols & antioxidants – they protect the brain from mental decline & reduce risk of Alzheimer’s & Parkinson’s. Ashwaganda - is an ancient medicinal herb which benefits the brain and has been found to improve brain functionality, such as memory. It acts as an antioxidant wherein research has observed that it protects nerve cells from harmful free radicals and could even heal spatial memory impairment. It can lower blood sugar and cortisol levels, and as an adaptogen it could assist the body with stress, anxiety and depression symptoms. Water – research claims that your brain consists of more or less 70-75% water (H. H. Mitchell). Therefor by consuming at least eight glasses of water a day you are not just contributing to your overall health but sustaining your brain. Water improves and maintains memory function, concentration & cognition. It balances your mood & emotions. By including these foods and supplements in your diet you can keep your brain healthy and increase your mental productivity. Some foods protect your brain from damage, and some nutrients support brain development and functioning. Nutrition is an essential part of boosting mental health and functioning optimally. Clean your mind:- Very important before feeding your brain, detox your mind: Eliminate bitterness and the seven roots that accompany it: unforgiveness; anger; murder; resentment; hatred; retaliation; violence. Dispose of clutter - throw away and organize the clutter in your home, office etc. Write down on a paper the clutter you want to discard that has accumulated in your brain, all non-productive assumptions and stories; all negative thoughts and non-essential brain garbage which brings your self-worth and self-esteem down – then throw this clutter away. Replace the clutter with positivity: For at least 21 days write down the things that you appreciate and are grateful for every morning as you set your goals. Repeat reading it just before you go to sleep. Recite a few positive declarations you make about your “self” each morning. When your body is nourished, fit and healthy you experience joy! When your mental health is in tip-top shape you think clear, equip enhanced memory, brain hormones are optimized, your productivity increases and you feel fulfilled! Whilst being responsible, make the most of the present time and give little thought to the future, ensuring that you enjoy life while you can, as the Roman poet Horace encourages. Elvira JustLive Coach elvira@justlive.co.za “The strength of your mind determines the quality of your life.” Edmond Mbiaka Disclaimer: Please revert to the Terms of Use and Privacy stated on the www.justlive.co.za website with regards to content of the Life Enrichment Matrix. The writer does not claim to be a professionally registered individual on the subject of mental health, and herewith encourages readers who do require professional mental health related consultancy or medical related assistance, to please contact us if necessary so that we can refer you for professional assistance – info@justlive.co.za ). Extensive research has been done for these articles and the necessary people recognized, but please when re-quoting anything from this document - honor the writer of this article. Sources¹: Lisa Mosconi, PhD, neuroscientist and author of “ Brain Food: The Surprising Science of Eating for Cognitive Power .” In Topor, 2019 – https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/if-you-are-happy-and-you-know-it-you-may-live-longer-2019101618020?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=email_this&utm_source=email Lee LO, James P, Zevon ES, Kim ES, Trudel-Fitzgerald C, Spiro A 3rd, Grodstein F, Kubzansky LD. Optimism is associated with exceptional longevity in 2 epidemiologic cohorts of men and women. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2019 Sep 10;116(37):18357-18362. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1900712116. Epub 2019 Aug 26. PMID: 31451635; PMCID: PMC6744861. Tahmineh Mokhtari, Mohammad Akbari, Yousef Sadeghi. The Neuroprotective Effects of Flaxseed Oil Supplementation on Functional Motor Recovery in a Model of Ischemic Brain Stroke: Upregulation of BDNF and GDNF. 2017 December. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322528406 H.H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry 158. Calvo-Ochoa E and Arias C (2019) Food for Thought: What Happens to the Brain When We Eat Foods High in Fat and Sugar?. Front. Young Minds. 7:32. doi: 10.3389/frym.2019.00032 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-proven-ashwagandha-benefits#1

Mastering emotions is very difficult as people are often directed by feelings. Feelings manage the direction individuals follow in the day; the decisions they make in their relationships, finances and careers. The joy and fulfillment of many people are affected by how they feel. It is crucial not to make important decisions when you are feeling very low or overly ecstatic – wait for your feelings to stabilize so that your decisions could be sustainable and responsible. Regulating your emotions efficiently and taking responsibility for your behaviour is the highest measure of emotional intelligence. You may not be able to get rid of your feelings – but you can control what you do with them! To master your emotions:- Discover and identify the emotions you experience To keep your emotions intact - keep your Life Balance in good shape by balancing the four quadrants of your Life Enrichment Matrix© Practice regulating your emotions Take care of being over-sensitive and touchy Take responsibility for your behaviour Learn new ideas and theories Reminisce on positive experiences Develop gratitude and appreciation On the quest of discovering emotions, it is important to know your moods and feelings and what their origin is, what triggered the feelings in the first place.
Physiologically we must be cautious since hormone levels in our brain and our endocrine system could affect our moods and how we feel. Other health-related issues could also affect our emotions such as low or high blood sugar; low or high blood pressure; weight; our cardiovascular state; and digestive systems, could have a direct influence on how we feel. People who are being treated with sleeping and antidepressant medications could also experience the effects on their mood and demeanor, having a direct physiological and mental influence on their feelings. Spiritually and emotionally individuals could be affected by relational or emotional challenges such as losing a person in their life, divorce or illness. Their hearts feeling sickened and affecting their wholeness, making it difficult nearly impossible to reflect a good state of the heart. Feelings that develop from an ill body or sick heart have to undergo spiritual and emotional healing, that only time can offer. Assumptions the 'mother' of all emotions:- Many feelings and reactions have been constructed on assumptions, causing destruction and misunderstandings in business deals, relationships and friendships. When learning to master your emotions, it is important not to make assumptions on anything. People have different realities and even though their worlds may differ, it does not profit anyone to assume what another person's intentions or behaviours reflect. Generally, negative feelings develop from assumptions and ideas that develop in our thought patterns. We observe peoples body language; their voice tones; their moods; how they conduct and approach conversations; and we consider from the history of previous experiences with them. All these observations become contemplation's that we ponder over and they normally brood contention and more and more intense feelings, be it positive or negative. Our observations have to be confirmed if we want to make successful and effective deductions over our interactions. Working from substantiated facts and confirming what we “think” we observed and felt, will be advantageous for our emotional health. Functioning from a platform of rejection, fear or instability because of our over-sensitive feelings causes unnecessary intense feelings, which could be regulated at the formation of the assumption. Practice emotional strength and do not create feelings from the stance of assumptions. It is essential to know what is affecting your emotions, but in the end, the choice and decision to train your brain are yours. Changing fleeting feelings to a more sustainable sound emotional base, cultivates emotional intelligence and builds a sound mind.
There are many benefits to taking control of your emotions:- When regulating your feelings you set yourself in a position to be successful – since your foundational decision-making derives from the core of realistic wise decisions, not fleeting assumptions. Taking charge of your feelings makes you thrive – since the sense of balance makes you experience joy and fulfillment. When you take control of your feelings you come over as a person with courage - confident in yourself and you reflect positive self-worth. As you regulate your feelings you generate consistency from within – which cultivates stability. A person with a well regulated emotional stance develops beauty from within and contagious wisdom. Emotionally regulated individuals are consequent, reliable and express a sense of order in their life. Regulation of emotions encourages an individual to take on difficult challenges with courage. When regulating your feelings you take responsibility for your behaviour – creating harmony. People who take control of their emotions know where they are going. Emotional regulation is not denying, ignoring or suppressing feelings, but consciously managing them as they shape our minds and behaviours. We cultivate emotional intelligence daily, by including self-improvement and growth as part of our Life Balance.
Elvira JustLive coach elvira@justlive.co.za If you are tuned out of your own emotions, you will be poor at reading them in other people. Daniel Goleman. PS: Refer to JustLive’s addition on “Practical ways to regulate your feelings.”

How are we going to achieve life balance in money and personal finances? Part 3 In the Life Enrichment Matrix© we attempt to create awareness of the importance of balancing our life as we pursue financial resources in the financial and career fitness dimension. Balance in Money & Personal Finances Previously we investigated the balance of finances, work and career dimension, and the responsibility and accountability within our lives. Following this, in episode 3 of achieving Life Balance, we contemplate ‘money’ - the most controversial-, most contentious-, taboo subject that brings about the most anxiety, tension and stress in people’s lives, but the word that people have come to love more than life. Money and finances can result in much turmoil and conflict in families. The attitude with what people pursue money and at whatever cost it will take is what could bring on an imbalance in their lives. No wonder it has been referred to as the root of all evil! Society has created a “status” which is embedded within the amount of money people have, and this has resulted in people assessing their self-worth, from the basis of the amount of wealth and money they possess. Robert Kiyosaki suggested “Money is a great barometer of people’s integrity. Money often reveals who we really are !” However wisdom and counsel is worth more than money! Many people are searching for efficient ways to work with their money. Other than Robert Morris’s “The Principle of First” that gives insight to how to manage your money generously (refer https://gatewaypeople.com/series/the-blessed-life?sermon=the-principle-of-first-2020 ), I would like to touch lightly on Craig Hill’s powerful book wherein he shares a few secrets to wealth. The 5 wealth secrets of dealing with your money:- 1. Segregate your money into categories or jars, and intentionally prioritize these jars. 96% of people focus on what they earn, while 4% focus on how they use what they earn. - Jar 1: Tithing (10% of your income). - Jar 2: Offerings. - Jar 3: Savings. - Jar 4: Investing (in multiplication). - Jar 5: Spending. Note: Human nature dictates that we will spend 100% of whatever is in our "spending" jar. 2. Focus on vision, not on the provision. Focus your life on fulfilling a calling and vision. To accomplish any purpose, you can either use vision or use money. Discover your purpose and calling, and choose your career or profession according to your calling not according to money. Then pursue your calling and vision with all your heart and expect provision to naturally follow the vision. 3. Part 1 - Invest in multiplication. Invest your resources only in things that multiply. Never borrow money to purchase a depreciating asset or to invest in something that doesn't increase the value of the asset or cash flow significantly more than the cost of the interest you must pay to borrow the money. Live a lifestyle of meekness, and walk with margins in the significant areas of your life. A meek person is one who has great power or resources but voluntarily limits oneself to use only a percentage of that resource or power. Take care of who is the "master" in your financial life. Part 2 - Invest in Multipliers. Invest your time and energy in people who multiply. In people who are faithful and are multipliers. Judge these candidates by their actions, not by their words or good intentions. The desire and ability to multiply are qualities of leadership. Do not invest time, money, or energy in those who fail the qualification tests or do not respond to the opportunity given. 4. The economy flows in cycles - therefore anticipate and prepare for each new phase in the cycle. The economy is cyclical and not linear. Learn how to prosper equally when the economy is contracting as you do when the economy is expanding. You need to prosper equally in times of economic expansion, recession or even depression. 5. Prepare and leave an inheritance for at least two subsequent generations. Plan to leave an inheritance to your children's children. Design and implement a strategy to ensure that neither your grandchildren nor any future generations in your family will ever need to borrow money from a bank and pay interest for a house. With recognition to Craig Hill (Family Foundations International (Colorado) ©2012. Monetary behaviour and children Many of our money habits are shaped in our childhood, we often adopt how our parents worked and treated money. Therefore it is presumed that our environments and the modelling of our parental behaviour could influence our monetary behaviour. If one of your parents spends money unrealistically by making debt to provide and give in excessive kindness to children, for example, birthday gifts or other luxury items and needs that the family had such as medicine or clothing, the supposition could be that you too will follow the lead. Much impulsive and compulsive buying could be ascribed to individuals making up for what they did not have as children. If you had a cautious parent, who saved and applied the family finances diligently and with wisdom, you could follow that lead too, but caution should be exercised on perhaps reflecting an adverse behaviour to spending money and adopting a lack of generosity. As can be seen, the intricacy of dealing with money in the household is complex and sensitive. We model our parent's behaviour and adopt their qualities and mistakes with learnt behaviour, therefore we should practice due diligence as we set examples for children, since they are our legacy and will carry over this pattern to their children, and their children’s children. Money and self-worth The notion where people rather concentrate their time and priorities in the workplace, instead of balancing it throughout the whole of their life (The Life Enrichment Matrix©), often occurs because individuals attempt to compensate for other areas of their life that lack significance and meaning to them, such as an exaggerated pursuit to make money. As mentioned earlier some people relate their financial worth (the amount of money and wealth they have and make) to their self-worth. Self-esteem is built on the foundation of self-worth, and having a lot of money is not going to secure grounded good self-esteem. It may give you a fleeting moment of happiness, but the superficiality thereof could kill you inside. We must have a good strong sense of self-worth, wherein we diligently exercise self-love. Loving yourself encompasses acceptance of your strengths and weaknesses, and also practicing self-kindness; self-compassion (being gentle with yourself); self-care (taking care of your needs); and allowing love into your life. Considering that money and fleeting happiness is but momentary and not a fixed assurance of worth, knowing who you are and that you are of much value, you are lovable, necessary to this life, and of incomprehensible worth - is much more concrete, substantial and based on foundational truth. A good self-worth guarantees fulfillment, money is but fleeting happiness. The value of self-acceptance far surpasses perishable wealth and riches! Attaining a balanced outlook on money and how it is defined in our lives, will contribute to living a balanced life. Treating money with respect and cultivating good attitudes around money and the position it has in our lives can bring about creating good relationships with the notion of money and family. We have a sole responsibility to pursue further improvement in our education, careers and work. We develop skills, ability and competence between the ages of 6 and 12 years, in our psychosocial stage of Industry vs. Inferiority according to Erikson (1968; 1994). Therein we learn Industry or develop the crisis of Inferiority, in the pursuit to attain the virtue of Competence. Other than the negative attributes of money mentioned earlier, we cannot live without it and we do reap many benefits from it: · Money sustains our life – daily living · It fulfills basic needs · Money creates opportunities and possibilities in the world · It allows education · Money leaves heritage for the next generations Concerning your finances, it is crucial to live within your means and not overextend. Focus on working with your money responsibly and through wisdom. This responsibility is ours to work and provide for ourselves and our families: · Responsibility towards money in our attitudes · Responsibility working fόr money and being productive · Responsibility to provide money for our self and our family But ultimately the responsibility to ourselves, how we attain our money with integrity and how we spend it with responsibility. Our attitude towards money will shape that of generations going forward. A most responsible principle is Suze Orman’s quotation wherein she maintains that if you look after your cents, you will look after your rands! She furthermore advises on eight qualities that can create a life of wealth, however practicing balance in your life remains crucial - by standing on your two feet ensures you are immovable, should one be imbalanced you can easily fall over. Suze Orman’s Eight qualities that can create a life of wealth: 1 – Harmony – be in harmony with your thoughts, feelings & actions - they create or destroy. 2 – Balance – stand with both feet on the ground so that you are balanced in work, family, etc. 3 – Courage – to be yourself & stand up for what is right rather than what is easy. 4 – Generosity – not referring to just gifting others - but also yourself by not incurring unnecessary debt. 5 – Happiness - When you are happy – you have energy! When you have energy – you have power! 6 – Cleanliness - Wealth cannot dwell in filth! It’s essential to have order & live a clean life both inside & out. 7 – Beauty - When people see you they must see something radiate from you - that they would like to possess. 8 – Wisdom - When exercising the former qualities, then you will be capable of making wise choices, what to do with your money, to know when to say no, when to say yes, to actually become the master of your own financial destiny. With recognition to Suze Orman: https://www.podbean.com/media/share/dir-2p6r2-87a7dbc?utm_campaign=w_share_ep&utm_medium=dlink&utm_source=w_share The following questions are aimed at assessing balance in the dimension of money & personal finances. These questions are part of your personal growth, designed to enlighten a different way of thinking and emphasizing areas where you could improve balance in your life. Rate these questions between 1-10 (where 1 is not good and 10 is very good) – are you balancing your work and the other dimensions of your life? Balance in Money & Personal finances Questionnaire How do I feel when I think about money? Being competent with finances is very important to me I am satisfied with my current financial performance I have enough money to accommodate my current desires I have enough money to accommodate my current needs I always know how much money I have in my/our bank account/s Being generous to other people is important to me I am satisfied with my generosity to other people I am satisfied with how much I give to other people Charitable donations and contributions are very important to me I am satisfied with how charitable I currently am towards other people or organisations I am willing to step out of my comfort zone & take new risks to generate more income I worry about my current financial situation very much I know what my monthly expenses are Do I follow a plan for monthly expenses such as a monthly budget? Do I follow an annual plan for yearly expenses such as scheduling annual payments? Do I have jars or pockets that include and distinguish tithing, spending, saving and investments? Do I have a short and long savings or investment plan? Did I grow up in a house that lived well financially, or did our household struggle to keep ends met? Did my parents set a good example for me about money and finances? Do I think I am following my parent’s example in managing money and finances? Do I have positive feelings over my current financial situation? Do I have a positive attitude towards my finances and money? How happy am I with the overall quality of how I manage my money? If I died today, would I be happy with the inheritance I leave behind? Consider your personal vision statement about about an area/s in your personal finances that you would like to improve on. Note a date in your calendar about 30 days from instituting the personal finances vision statement, in order to facilitate accountability. If you have challenges in balancing personal finances in your life, and the questions have revealed imbalance and points that you would like to work on and grow in – you can aspire to cultivate a new mindset of taking responsibility of your money and balance your life in such a way that you are joyful, healthy and live a fulfilled life. Contemplate restructuring money and personal finances in your life to balance your life. Take responsibility in how you manage your money, be attentive to your attitude towards your money, deal with money from integrity, and always be aware of the future legacy YOU are shaping! Reverting to what Robert Kiyosaki said “…Money often reveals who we really are” – therefor I challenge you with the question - who are you really? For any further assistance or a chat on your personal money and finances, please contact JustLive or book a free 30 minute online session. Jacques JustLive Coach jacques@justlive.co.za “Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity, than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.”

Reminiscing on the previous mental and relational fitness article of a “Need to focus” the emphasis is seen on the demands of the chaotic fast-paced world we live in. This world wants instant gratification; immediate answers and results; it’s laden with demands of everything quick and now! Everyone desires to win, however, no one wants to wait! As soon as automatic negative thoughts take over our mind, we run on the railway of a track going nowhere - making it easy to lose focus. What you are focusing on will influence the direction and destination of your spiritual life. Every morning you have the opportunity to reset your life, for God’s mercies and tender compassions never fail and they are new every morning since His faithfulness is great and beyond measure (Lam 3:22-23). This resetting of your focus involves the opportunity of reassessing your life, taking account of the truths you are aware of, and a reassessment within - if you are living a daily truthful and obedient life. Your focus will determine the outcome of your day and how you are feeling. The ripple effect could have an influence on your productivity at work, your relationships, mental and physical health. Therefore resetting your focus in your spiritual life is detrimental to living a happy successful daily life. It could be helpful following Sharma’s suggestion for a focus-driven day - by getting up at 5am and devoting twenty minutes to reflection, after all, the Bible expresses, “those who seek me early and diligently will find me” (Prov 8:17b). Building time in your early daily routine to reflect builds positivity and creativity, and creates a more productive performance. During reflection, a person can journal, meditate, plan, pray and contemplate. This realigns your mindset creating increased serenity, wherein awareness and wisdom can be constructed. During reflection, pondering on the things that are appreciated is uplifting and it increases conscious gratefulness which assists in regaining focus as a person contemplates the good admirable things in their life. “Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [centre your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].” Philippians 4:8 AMP The benefit of objectively aligning your spiritual focus is that you are maintaining your Life Balance, as well as important parts of the essential dimensions of your personal Life Enrichment Matrix©. Balancing all the quadrants of your life motivates the creation of a calm, restful and productive platform, from where you can diligently attend to the things that require interactive focus. When I include reflection first thing in my morning regime, it equips me with a focus which includes vigor, fulfillment, joy and guts to face the day. It energizes me and puts protection around me that makes me feel like I can take on anything coming my way. Resetting your spiritual focus can be challenging. It is a definitive decision where reflection becomes your central point of attention, attraction or activity at the moment. Through filling your mind, body, soul and spirit with the presence of the Holy Spirit; creating a moment to reflect on the Word of God, and time in prayer - reconstructs your whole being and creates a wholeness from within, and external strength. By creating spiritual focus, we are strengthening our spiritual fitness, and also contributing to equipping and enriching the other dimensions of our lives. To realign your central point of attention so that you can focus will require a decision to keep to a daily goal or plan of action. This can be initiated by making time at the start of the day to operate, reflect and develop! FOCUS! Elvira JustLive coach elvira@justlive.co.za See Robin Sharma’s interview on “How to wake up at 5am” below “What we focus on outside is a reflection of what we feel inside.” Anonymous https://www.robinsharma.com/article/how-to-wake-up-at-5-am-valuable-interview

Need to focus? In this chaotic demanding fast-paced world we live in, it can be easy to lose focus. What you are focusing on, will determine the direction and destination of the moment. Every morning you have the opportunity to reset your life, since mercies and tender compassion's are waiting with every new morning. Daily you have the chance to reassess your life, take account of the truths you are aware of, and you can inquire within - if you are being true to who you are. What you are focusing on, will determine the outcome of your day and how you are feeling. This has a domino effect on all aspects of your life such as productivity at work, relationships and overall health. Therefore resetting your focus is detrimental to living a happy successful daily life. In an attempt to regain focus, one of the methods that can be contemplated is getting up early in the morning and applying Sharma’s formula where he assigns twenty minutes for each section he deems essential in helping individuals set up a focus-driven day. In the book " The 5 AM Club: Own Your Morning, Elevate Your Life, " Robin Sharma emphasises daily routine as a tool to regain focus in his " 20/20/20 Formula :" Move Reflect Grow Ultimately by moving and doing intense exercise daily, hydrating, breathing and making time to learn, a person is elevating their metabolism, cleansing their hormone system and increasing beneficial hormones. Additionally, it contributes to increased focus and productivity, optimisation of the brain, energy growth and longevity. Building time in your early daily routine to reflect, could build positivity and creativity, and create a more productive performance. During reflection, a person can journal, meditate, plan, pray and contemplate. This realigns your mindset creating increased serenity, wherein awareness and wisdom can cultivate. During reflection, pondering on the things that are appreciated is uplifting and it increases conscious gratefulness which assists in regaining focus as a person contemplates the good admirable things in their life. Through allocating time to review your goals and stimulate your brain by reading books; listening to podcasts; motivational talks; or doing research, you are increasing your inspiration and contributing to your personal growth. As we set out to retain focus by pursuing an effective routine or lifestyle daily, we are promoting performance which in turn increases productivity and will have an impact on our mental health, finances and relationships. When your focus is objectively aligned, you can maintain Life Balance as well as important parts of the essential dimensions of your personal Life Enrichment Matrix©. Balancing all the quadrants of your life has the benefit of creating a calm, restful and productive platform, from where you can diligently attend to the things that require interactive focus. Resetting your focus can be challenging. It is a definitive decision of making something your central point of attention, attraction or activity. In this case, we are referring to making 'something else' your central point of attention, since you require refocusing the current state of mind you are finding yourself in. Since most objectives in your life require an amount of focus, this is where the challenge comes in of balancing your life - by not over accentuating a certain dimension of your Life Enrichment Matrix©. An aspect that throw’s us off course, is the obsessive-compulsive and impulsive age that we live in, which requires that you overcompensate somewhere, and something else is neglected. However, you can control the direction that your mind, body and spirit are moving in. It is a decision, a deliberate act of agreement that you make with yourself. PAUSE - RESET - CHANGE DIRECTION - REFOCUS! To overcome obsessive-compulsive and impulsive behaviour that is experienced can be decreased by going slower. Pausing more. SLOW DOWN! When waiting for a while after an altercation; problem-solving; purchasing something; important decision making; or devising a plan - much more effective decisions, goals, and actions are produced. WAIT! Through not making impulsive decisions immediately and making time to deliberate, is the answer to much compulsive behaviour. This is done by taking the physical and mental hyperactivity that is experienced down to a sustainable level and will result in making a person think clearer, more objective and decisive. That is why it is required to stop and pause. You cannot focus if your mind is running on a railway track, you need to contain your thoughts, your physical behaviour and emotions. To realign your central point of attention so that you can focus will require a decision to keep to a daily goal or plan of action. This can be initiated by making time at the start of the day to operate, reminisce and develop! FOCUS! Follow the Life Enrichment Matrix’s© blueprint to focus and PAUSE + RESET + CHANGE DIRECTION + REFOCUS + SLOW DOWN + WAIT = FOCUS! See Robin Sharma’s interview below on “How to wake up at 5am.” Elvira JustLive coach elvira@justlive.co.za Focus on progress! Robin Sharma’s interview on “How to wake up at 5am:” https://www.robinsharma.com/article/how-to-wake-up-at-5-am-valuable-interview

Much of it depends on what happened before the lockdown. Where were you at - in your personal life and relationships, in your career, the state of your body, and where were you spiritually and emotionally? In South Africa, the lockdown came suddenly, but at least with some days to sort out a little bit of life, obtain food and other resources. Following the restrictions, a person had to either adapt to confinement or live in survival mode. However, some were metaphorically already confined and trying to survive, within their circumstances. If you were in the position to retain your job and live a fairly normal life, you were the exception, since between 29% (Dec 2019*) and 35.313% (forecast Dec 2020*) of people in South Africa are unemployed and many live in poverty. Many SA companies and people were already experiencing pressure from the dilapidated economy. It was still early in the year which presented no prospects of raises or new employment appointments as yet, as the new financial year barely began. Globally everyone is recognising the ruin the Covid-19 lockdown has caused by now. In SA companies and restaurants are closing down and facing liquidation, since the toll on the economy has been devastating. Small vendors and informal road stalls were forced to pack-up and the elimination of daily income has now turned to the plight of begging and survival. A considerable number of homes have become dysfunctional and are living in dire circumstances; some resulted from bad relationships, and some because of unemployment and poverty. Many people are distressed; their responsibilities are mounting up be it financially or emotionally since the lack of financial resources is real. The escalating costs of food and demand therefor have caused much tension and anxiety, the increase of people in one household which resulted from the lockdown has had its toll. As a result of this you could find yourself wandering off to negative thinking habits, the one negative thought runs after the other like a train on a railway. The nauseating feelings have forced you into a rut of despair and hopelessness locked in your fear. Although the devastation Covid-19 has caused is greater than the advantages, life is best perceived when we turn the negative into positive – and reminisce on that which we are grateful for! It is similar to physical fitness training and training your muscles to become firm and fit. Training your brain from negative to positive is going to take effort! In the movie Dr Dolittle (2019) the gorilla Chee-chee is fighting with the tiger Barry when she tries to save Dr Dolittle, she is trying to overcome her fears (see clip link below). She screams “I am not a prisoner of fear,” then she asks “I am not a prisoner of fear?” and then declares repeatedly “It’s okay to be scared,” “It’s okay to be scared,” and apprehends Barry. Her fear (clearly seen in her eyes) was at first overwhelming, but then the more she said it is okay to be scared, and her subsequent verification of she is not a prisoner of fear, she eventually came to believe her declarations – and she overcame her fear! You too can overcome your fear, by training your brain to be an overcomer! Your positive declarations and anticipations - negating fear and focussing on the goodness in your life could change the direction of your thoughts. We might not have control over our circumstances, but we have control over what we decide to think, and HOW we react to these experiences. The secret to sustainability is how good we do the same good thing over and over again. Sometimes fear is our imaginations; sometimes fear is real; sometimes fear is relentless circumstances, such as people that don’t have an income anymore and therefore can’t buy food, can’t buy airtime or can’t pay for rent. Sometimes fear is our thoughts increasing and escalating as negativity adds more and more anxiety. But the thing is - we have control! Each one of these fears can be dealt with. Physically the real fears can be assisted with support systems in place for people who are experiencing anxiety, loneliness, or those who do not have an income, are unemployed and require food assistance. Mentally you can control your thinking habits, with one exercise that could assist your negative thoughts - by making a list of the things that you are grateful for; and those things that you appreciate. Declaring these positive things repeatedly, could adjust your brain structures, stop the negative train of thoughts and calm your mind. The whole country is fighting the same battles - you are not alone in this situation; people are standing together helping others in need – someone is there to help you; people are aware of others – an outward reflection is creating care and unselfishness; the similarities that we are experiencing – is developing empathy for each other and a deep appreciation for what we have! People are helping each other in so many creative ways - I see South African’s practising Ubuntu! Should you desire talking to someone please book a session with a JustLive coach. Elvira elvira@justlive.co.za We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope. Martin Luther King, Jr. Clip from the movie Dr. Dolittle (2019) - Chee-chee fighting her fears: https://youtu.be/DnIpikDZz_w Source:* https://www.ceicdata.com/en/indicator/south-africa/forecast-unemployment-rate

Part 2 Work and career aspirations In episode two of achieving Life Balance, as we contemplate the quadrants of the Life Enrichment Matrix© in a quest to achieve Life Balance, we investigate the dimension of work and careers. Perhaps you are an adolescent or a single person, or you are part of a couple, whichever way – you are either working towards an aspiring career or you are currently exercising your career, part of the working class, with an obligation to balance your life. The obligation far surpasses your own goals, dreams and commitments, it contains within it relational dynamics with a definite link to the previous section of social and family relationships. Within the hierarchy of social and family relationships are embedded our support systems and lifelines, and since they contribute to the joy and fulfilment in our life, we cannot neglect this part of our Life Balance. The hierarchy of “social and family” consists of romantic partners, family members, friends and even acquaintances such as the parking guard who regularly gestures us when we leave our car in the parking bay. This part of our life should be guarded and nurtured in the same manner as looking after a plant, by sustaining it with regular maintenance and water. Neglecting this important part of our lives could cause imbalance and loss of purpose, and is often found when people emphasise and prioritise their work and career above all else. In the workplace, many relationships exist along the hierarchy. When considering the organisational structure some positions are ranked higher, equal and lower than others and often this stages the origin of future relationships people will have with colleagues. Life Balance within the workplace is influenced by many factors such as relationships, work satisfaction, environment, growth and development possibilities, rewards, personalities, time management, boundaries, self-worth, people’s goals and dreams. The notion where people rather concentrate their time and priorities in the workplace, instead of balancing it throughout the whole of their life (The Life Enrichment Matrix©), often occurs because individuals attempt to compensate for other areas of their life that lack significance and meaning to them. Erikson (1968; 1994) believed people tend to indulge in their careers and work because their work defines who they are, instead of believing that what they have accomplished is their own skill and proficiency that they have duly acquired and learnt in their life. Furthermore, he suggested that a person’s work could develop as a source of self-worth which results in the person developing an inability to successfully progress towards the development of other stages and virtues of their life, and develops a crisis of inferiority. This sense of inferiority has a direct influence on an individual’s identity development in adolescence, which could affect the rest of the person’s future. Many individuals are not grounded in their self-worth and acquire a low self-image, and by excelling in their career and workplace they create a sense of purpose and significance, which substitutes their sense of inferiority, and identity loss, even if it is superficial and fleeting. They desire much recognition, affirmation and reward to establish that they are good in their work and within this facade, they put on a mask which hides the low self-worth in their real personality. It is important to know who you are since many people have a workplace personality, a social and familial personality. You need to have a deep sense of the fact that you are valuable, that you are acceptable and deserving of love! A confirmation that you are necessary, have an essential purpose and contribute a cherished worth to this life! Attaining good self-worth will contribute to living a balanced life. Good workplace relationships are of utmost importance and necessity for productivity and creation of loyalty in the company and results in favourable collaboration and camaraderie, which both parties benefit from. However, often people do not have clear personal and work-related boundaries, which cause an unhealthy lifestyle and mind-set. When they immerse their whole being into their work generally and frequently, and neglect balancing their life, they lose touch of reality; their support systems; and their “social and family” hierarchy. This results in an imbalance in the other quadrants of the person’s Life Enrichment Matrix, as their health deteriorates, they often eat poorly; their spiritual life is neglected, and their mental and relational dimension is disregarded. While people exercise responsibility by working and providing financial support to themselves and their families, the establishment of boundaries between work and home to balance the intensity is of great significance and essential for Life Balance. It is important to have good working relationships since this will affect your home and family life. Working effectively with quality performance and ethical workplace conduct is part of the commitment and accountability instituted at work and the home. If this is adhered to, each person will balance their workplace and home relationships accordingly and promote healthy relationships, as their work and careers are also influenced by all the quadrants of their lives. The establishment of boundaries at work holds within it an essential and deliberate time management responsibility. Responsibility to the employer for work performance, as well as the accountability thereto, since time is money. As well as additional responsibility at home with social and family relationships, since quality time reflects love and care. During the life cycle people learn, grow up, work, some have families, and then as they enter old age and reminisce on what they have achieved, they question if their lives were good and what they could have done better. Futuristic thinking could benefit you, since planning to live an optimistic life with effective time management and juggling priorities with a focus on that which is essential, will build a meaningful and memorable legacy! During the Covid-19 lockdown, many people had their workplaces moving to their homes, which held many challenges. In this time you could have reconsidered your job in many ways. Perhaps the way it intrudes in your family life; your relationship with your spouse or partner; your children; your time management; your self-worth; your mental and emotional status; and stress-levels. You might have reconsidered how your work changes you and affects your personality; behaviour and identity. Some people have been left unemployed after the Covid-19 prolonged lockdown or their businesses had to close down; or went through liquidation. Normally this would be seen as a negative situation leaving people in dire circumstances, but it could also create a situation where you have to restructure your life, which could be of benefit for the sake of Life Balance. The following questions are aimed at assessing balance in the dimension of work and careers. These questions are part of your personal growth, designed to enlighten a different way of thinking and emphasising areas where you could improve balance in your life. Balance in work and careers – S1-P2 How important are your achievements to you? Are you satisfied with your career achievements to date? Are you satisfied with your career choice? How fulfilled are you in your current work environment? Do you look forward to going to work each day? Does your career stimulate and develop you as a person? Is your work environment positive and supportive? Do you find contentment and fulfilment in your current career? Would you urgently like a career change? And are you satisfied with your work relationships? Do you get along with your employer and colleagues? How happy are you with the overall quality of your work performance? If you died today, would you be happy with the legacy you have left behind? Rate these questions between 1-10 (where 1 is not good and 10 is very good) – are you balancing your work and the other dimensions of your life? Consider your personal vision statement about about an area/s in your career and work that you would like to improve on. Note a date in your calendar about 30 days from instituting the career and work vision statement, in order to facilitate accountability. You control the decisions you make! If you have challenges in balancing career and work in your life, and the questions have revealed imbalance and points that you would like to work on and grow in – please have a chat with a JustLive coach and book a session! Elvira JustLive coach elvira@justlive.co.za Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life! Dolly Parton

​

It is better not to look back If I started this sentence with “Do not look back” you would do just that. People are inherently opposed to hear the words “do not.” Perhaps it has something to do with the first rebellion that was experienced at the initial creation, when the first sin was committed. Thereafter the inclination to rebel was a temptation that individuals had to fight daily. I would like to reminisce on the fact that the Lord does not want us to look back to the past. The past hurts, the past sins committed, the past regrets and bitterness. When it comes to the “blame-game” we are very quick at digging out the past wrongs that have been inflicted on us, and slow to impose the Grace that has so freely been given to us. Earlier in the Bible in the Old Testament Lot’s wife was commanded to not look back (at the brimstone and fire of the evils of Sodom and Gomora) – she wanted to see God’s judgement (Gen 19:24-26). When she disobeyed after the angels said “Don’t look back, lest you be destroyed” Gen 19:17 - she transformed into a salt pillar. In the New Testament Paul says “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.” Phil 3:13. This is “forward thinking” something that aspires an objective way of thinking, about your future, about moving forward daily, and forcing a positive approach to life in general. This is a mind-decision, a deliberate decision which derives from a change in your thought pattern. It is not easy to be obedient in this “forgetting was lies behind” but it holds much blessing when we listen to our heavenly Father that so loves us. He knew that looking back would cause salt pillars in our life, as an oversupply of salt can be very bitter and awful to the mouth, it can burn your stomach and make your cheeks suck in, and it can dry out your bones metaphorically too. When we look back the grudges and resentments we have built, the bitter taste in our mouth is God reminding us of the Grace of the Blood of Jesus that washed those salt pillars away, and we realize that the price Jesus paid, took away the consequences of unforgiveness as well, therefor it is better to not look back! I challenge you to choose today not to dwell on past mistakes of yourself or others, this will give you confidence and help you develop a sound attitude to a forward moving life. As soon as you experience your mind wandering to the past or what happened yesterday that was negative, re-direct your thoughts to a forward thinking approach wherein you deliberately decide to think of all the victories in your life, positive things that are “honorable, true and worthy of respect and confirmed by God’s Word” (Phil 4:8 AMP). In your Life Enrichment Growth Journal © write down 5-10 things that you are grateful for every morning. Say it out loud, read it again. (By doing this gratitude exercise every morning and just before you go to sleep reading it again, and replacing your negative thoughts with positive thoughts of gratitude, will guarantee a re-shaping of your brain structures (1) ). Elvira Just Live coach elvira@justlive.co.za Footnote 1 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nrcntl7Jsm0

Part 1 During this quest of assessing our life balance we contemplate the quadrants of the Life Enrichment Matrix© as a means of pursuing growth in our daily life, as we improve the redundant patterns of our life. In Mental & Relational Fitness we realise that in balancing our efforts, time and relations within Social and Family relationships, we build healthy and safe connections. These often end up being our support systems and life lines, but also the people we enjoy and share life with. A factor that influences life balance amongst relationships is the quality of the relationships. The strength within our relational attachments has origin from birth and whilst we were growing up during our lifecycles, and often contribute to how we will connect with other people relationally. The quality of development during the stages of our life will also determine how we connect with people and if we live successful relationships in future. Another factor that influences life balance amongst relationships is the decision of daily time management. As Rob Parsons rephrases, an old eastern proverb states “if you do this, you can’t do that.” He emphasises that wherever you are focussing on one side of your life, will ensure that you will not be able to focus on the other dimensions of your life, and inevitably someone or something will be neglected. Generally the challenges aren't from external conditions, but mostly from a hecticness which develops from inside. Should we balance our life we will spend quality time on the essential dimensions of life, but the contrary is also true, should we live imbalanced - we will neglect facets that are most important to us and contribute to the fulfilment of our life. Many exemplary people have felt remorse for not cherishing more time with their loved ones. One of the last comments read in Steve Jobs’ (Co-founder of Apple Computer) Facebook post, prior to him passing away, was that he regretted not spending more quality time with his family and enjoying precious moments. The consideration of quality time management and relationship building evokes a sense of commitment and the accountability surrounding it. We have the power to control how we stand in relationship with people, and how much of our time we allocate to each priority. It is a mind-set and a decision each person takes responsibility for! The Covid-19 lockdown gave rise to much intricate scenarios within families, as people were forced together 24/7. Homes also became workplaces, but in addition had to make space for “home.” Dynamics became quite challenging as the normal home, workplace boundaries were merged in the same environment. Friends and social relationships had to be maintained over screens, telephones and cellular phones. As most people are recovering and reminiscing on the global Covid-19 forced social distancing, the first personal reflection and discussion in this series is on balance in the social and family relationship. The following questions are aimed at assessing balance in social and family relationships. These questions are part of personal growth, designed to provoke a way of thinking differently and prompting the areas where a person should contemplate improving balance in their relational life. Balance in Social & Family Relationships – S1-P1 How important are your family relationships to you? How close are you to your parents? And are the relationships healthy? Are you close to your children? Are your relationships healthy? Do the people that matter the most to you accept you? Are social relationships important to you? And are you satisfied with your social relationships? Do you have close friendships with people that you can be yourself? Do you have a good “reality-based” social network, in other words are you part of real-life social groups? Are you good at connecting with new people? Do you get along with your neighbours and other people in your area? Are you satisfied with your romantic relationship? How happy are you with the overall quality of your real-life relationships? Rate these questions between 1-10 (where 1 is not good and 10 is very good) – do you have balance within your social and family relationships ? Consider your personal vision statement about about an area/s in your relationships that you would like to improve on. Note a date in your calendar about 30 days from instituting the relational vision statement, in order to facilitate accountability. Life balance is in your own hands! If you have challenges in balancing your social and relational life, and the questions have revealed imbalance and points that you would like to work on and grow in – please have a chat with a JustLive coach and book a session! Elvira JustLive coach elvira@justlive.co.za Time and balance, the two most difficult things to have control over, yet they are both the things that we do control. Catherine Pulsifer

Depending where you are in your life, money might be controlling your actions. Inevitably what you can and cannot do is regulated by the amount you have in the bank. You are not the only person with this mind-set, in fact, you are part of the 99% Club©. 99% of South Africa is struggling financially, this doesn’t mean they don’t have a steady income, but they complain about not having enough. If you earn more than R7,313 a month (after tax), you’re part of the 10% wealthiest people in the country. This is 6 million people, which means 54 million earn less than that. So what is enough money? How much money would make you happy? The amount does not exist. You might think if you could just get R1m, you can buy this and maybe that, or do this. Do you think you are going to be happy afterwards? NO! Financial freedom is the dream of almost every person on earth. One of the most well known clichés in the world is, “money does not bring happiness”, but if that is not true, why have two of the richest people on earth not praised money for their happiness? These two men, Jeff Bezos and Warren Buffet, divorced after becoming wealthy. I am not claiming that money is the reason why, it only proves that money does not solve all your problems. Nevertheless, money can solve some problems your are experiencing, such as debt. Paying the mortgage may be the reason why you’re not able to go to Bali, or buy the nice shoes you saw in the mall. We will be discussing all of the above issues and other aspects in the coming weeks. Topics such as materialism, personal finance, income management, career management etc. will also be contemplated. Feel to leave comments or send an email with your opinion or even a topic or idea you would like us to discuss. Jacques de Jager jacques@justlive.co.za “The poor have big TV’s, the rich have big libraries – don’t be poor in mindset!” Jacques de Jager

LIFE BALANCE What is life balance? Is a balanced life actually possible in this fast paced maniacal life of ours? Most people are stuck in an undesired redundant pattern of stress, frustration, hopelessness, and exhaustion. But perhaps what we perceive as chaos in each of our worlds is not as dramatic as it seems. It is definitely not worth experiencing anxiety, stress, and despair! It is not worth receding our health over the exhaustive inessential tenets of our life. Some are invalid assumptions of our self-worth, such as that we are not important or valued by others; or some are valid situations we find ourselves in such as severe indebtedness. Nevertheless, there must be a way in which we can overcome these struggles of life and maintain balance amidst the utter confusion. By committing to achieving performance targets, defeating company records, accomplishing personal bests, and struggling up the corporate ladder, is not necessarily going to bring fulfillment or contentment to life. As Kain Ramsay rephrased, “There’s always something you can change, and there’s always something you can do”! You have a choice how you are going to devote or misuse your precious time. Do you allow others to provoke you emotionally, especially with an infuriated response or irritation when you don’t get what you want? We are often sucked into a one-way vision where we are so busy, stressed out, anxiety filled and our calendars are overfull, dragging us into a deep hole, where we are incapable of seeing outside our world into a broader objective perspective. Until we are ripped out of these redundant patterns of our lives, we will not simply see the most practical beneficial alternatives for our life, where we could experience a calmness and balance in our daily living. As previously emphasized, life is more than stress, anxiety and holding your breath. Balance in your life could attribute more time with your family, time for self-development and reflection, quality time socializing with your friends, relatives and the community, and time to invest in your health by exercising and eating healthy. With life balance you can benefit from emphasizing your successes, success that is built on something that is lasting, and not something that is fleeting and eating away at your core. Life balance invests in your future, a sustainable contentment – which makes you live! By adopting an insightful awareness of which minor adjustments could contribute to how you are living your life, could have a great sustainable impact on your quality of living. Changes do not have to come with a “bang,” minor adjustments taken day by day; can change the redundant patterns in your life. Its time to take stock! As the Life Enrichment Matrix© considers the dimensions of an individual that develop wholeness and balance in life, we will follow a series of episodes to guide us into this journey of finding balance. The season with their episodes will be found within the quadrants of the matrix. It requires involvement of each person, commenting on the blog and privately answering some self-assessed questions to ascertain where your own life balance lies. Should you require assistance during your journey of assessing balance in your life, please book a session in the online coaching section. Join me in the following season 1, episode 1. Elvira JustLive coach elvira@justlive.co.za "The key to keeping your balance - is knowing when you've lost it." Anonymous

One essential factor in Life Balance is to keep fitness at peak levels throughout the Life Enrichment Matrix© process. Sustainability is defined as a course of action that can be maintained at specific levels for any required amount of time. The imbalance in one section of your life could impede another quadrant of your life, according to the Life Enrichment Matrix©. It is like building muscles during strength training; should one just concentrate on the left side of your body, wouldn’t you look quite peculiar walking and emphasise leaning towards one side more than the other? One could argue that your entire life is based on that same principle. Should you concentrate more on your financial and career fitness and neglect your relational fitness, you might have a healthy bank account and successful work environment, but you will probably be lonely and have no one to share that wealth with. Furthermore your lack of relational connection could cause alienation between you and your family, spouse, loved ones, friends or partner and weaken your support system. Imbalance in any of the quadrants of Life Balance is often the greatest cause of individuals’ not experiencing fulfilment in life, but rather fleeting happiness. Furthermore, generally people do not sustain life fitness because they don’t want to be held accountable, but rather because they feel captured when they have to account for what they have committed to, initiated or promised. In other words, a rebellious sense of “do not tell me what to do.” Much of it can be ascribed to being lazy, indecisive or lethargic. Recently someone told me why he has difficulty to commit - he attained the tendency to not commit as “not disciplining yourself for delayed gratification.” Some people want immediate affirmation and reward for a commitment they have made, which in reality is not always plausible. In the same way bad habits and bad behaviour is learned, the brain can be trained and shaped into good habits. Due to human nature people refrain from sustaining what they initially committed to. Some people become bored. Other’s merely lose interest, which could also be biological – because of the response of the brain’s “feel good hormones” which were triggered at the start of the novel activity, and wore off. People need to commit to new and better behaviour once chosen. Once the novelty wears off it normally becomes more difficult to see the new process through, but it is this endurance that promotes good habits, behaviour, stamina and energy. In order to keep on moving forward – YOU NEED ENERGY! To maintain satisfactory fitness levels on all quadrants of your life, you need a sound mind. Sustainability will follow as a result of a good mind-set, which is to decide and commit to a positive course of action. Most people don’t commit to or account for their own progress if they don’t make a definitive decision to do what they say they are going to do. You do have control over your mind, and since you are the custodian of your decisions – you can make a decision to be fit, and to do whatever it takes to get you there! FITNESS (SUSTAINABILITY) = ENERGY + MIND-SET + COMMITMENT + ACCOUNTABILITY Being accountable puts you in a position to sustain whatever you put your mind to! In order to effectively work at fitness levels in all dimensions of your life, you have to start somewhere. Often it is just starting to move forward, no matter how slow! A move towards sustainability: Physical fitness Initiating physical fitness should commence by taking small steps. If you are not a member at a gym, commit to walking 2km, three times per week, and step it up a notch each week. There are many high and low intensity training programs available online, in addition to running and walking. Set a specific time, and commit to it! Promote accountability by printing a monthly calendar and tick off every day that you have exercised. Even if there is sacrifice at play - be it an impromptu coffee-date, rain or snow, keep to your self-disciplined committed schedule! There is Life Balance at stake! Share your calendar with a friend and set each exercise session as an immovable part of your daily activities. Nutritional fitness Select food items that you have eaten during the lockdown days that you know is not beneficial to your health, and eliminate one of them from your diet for 30 days. Include your progress on your personal progress calendar, so that you can keep track of your performance. It is best to only include positives on our personal progress calendars! Noting your exercises and nutritional challenges on your calendar and placing this on your fridge, will assist you in remaining accountable and makes it possible for you to view and track your progress. Accountability promotes sustainability! The only way you will become, and remain fit in all quadrants of your life, is by committing to a plan, pursuing what you have committed to, and being accountable. In other words – ‘walking your talk!’ Elvira JustLive coach elvira@justlive.co.za I hate every minute of training. But I said, don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion. – Mohammad Ali

“Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ Count on it—there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.” Luke 15:4-7 MSG https://youtu.be/6xx0d3R2LoU