Hey Reader
Since returning from an extended summer holiday, I’ve been on a journey to find a new rhythm and routine for both my work and personal life. Right now, I’m still in a space of experimenting and giving myself lots of grace and compassion as I fumble through my days and forgiving myself when I don’t follow through with all the things I have planned.
Thankfully, I’m in a privileged position where I can take my time to figure things out and set my own deadlines, allowing me to move at my own pace.
I know this isn’t the reality for most helping professionals, especially if you’re working for a large organisation or for someone else in general.
This reflection also made me reminisce about my days as a social worker and how I managed to juggle both work and home life.
I definitely struggled a lot when I first started and was never perfect in achieving this elusive goal of work-life balance (perfection, after all, is just an illusion).
But this realisation helped me understand that work-life balance is simply overrated and, in fact, a futile goal to chase after.
If you’ve ever felt like chasing the elusive work-life balance is a bit like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands, then you’re definitely not alone.
Especially for those of us in helping professions, the idea of perfectly balancing our work and personal lives often feels so out of reach and even more stressful.
That is why I wanted to create something that will help us see a different perspective and give ourselves permission not to achieve work-life balance.
Curious what that is? Then continue reading below.
With your well-being at heart,
Elia Kanak Rajah [she/her]
Follow me on LinkedIn
Are you still searching for work-life balance?
Let’s be real: when we’re stuck in survival mode, our vision narrows, and it feels almost impossible to know where to draw the line between work and the rest of our lives.
We can’t see the forest for the trees, let alone new possibilities for our lives and work. So we end up repeating familiar patterns that only add more stress and anxiety to our lives, and then become resigned to the feeling that we cannot get out of this vicious cycle until at some point, we totally burn ourselves out.
But what if we stopped searching for that perfect balance (on the outside) and instead focused on tending to our bodymindspirit—our roots (our inner being)?
Imagine the roots of a plant. When they have room to breathe and grow, the entire plant thrives.
Similarly, we need to give ourselves space to breathe and recalibrate from time to time. I believe that when we give ourselves some room to breathe, reflect, and re-centre our inner being, then our next action steps for balancing our lives in a way that best serves us and others will become clear as day.
The problem with work-life balance is that it implies a strict separation between our personal and professional lives, creating an unrealistic expectation that both can be perfectly balanced at all times.
Yet, if you do not feel internally balanced in your bodymindspirit, then you will carry that energy of imbalance with you no matter where you go.
Instead, the focus should be on integrating our work and life in a harmonious way that allows for flexibility and personal fulfilment.
True wellness and serving others effectively comes from understanding and addressing your underlying needs and the past or present burdens you’re carrying through various somatic and inner healing practices like trauma-sensitive yoga and IFS Therapy, leading to a more sustainable and holistic approach to managing your time, energy, and health. This integration fosters a deeper connection to your purpose and enhances overall well-being.
That’s exactly what this FREE monthly live gathering, Tending Your Roots: Somatic Healing Circle for Compassionate Hearts, is designed to do—in community.
This space is crafted with love and intention just for you—social workers, nurses, teachers, therapists, non-profit leaders, caregivers, activists, and more. You are the heartbeats of our communities, the ones who light up the world even when your own candles may flicker.
Imagine this gathering as a warm embrace, a gentle pause in your whirlwind life. Here, we will breathe together, move our bodies, share our stories, and reconnect with what truly matters. It’s more than an online meeting; it’s a sanctuary where you can let down your guard and simply be.
Through this restorative circle, we will:
- Explore trauma-sensitive yoga practices for embodied healing and rejuvenation
- Experience a supportive space for sharing and connecting with like-minded individuals
- Engage in reflective journaling and intuitive drawing to release emotional tension and connect with inner peace
- Develop skills to enhance emotional resilience and self-leadership
- Access a community of purpose-driven professionals committed to mutual support and growth
As a collective of compassionate hearts, we’re here to support each other, heal together, and reignite that inner flame that sometimes feels like it’s dwindling.
Join us in this sacred space where you can nurture your roots and rediscover your inner power. Let’s create a sanctuary where we can all thrive together.
Attune to your Body
Take a moment to be with your breath. Without changing the way you’re breathing, you may simply notice your natural breath as it moves in and out through your nose.
Is your breath long or short? Is it deep or shallow? Is it smooth or interrupted?
Perhaps you might notice the wisdom of your body and the way it breathes even without your conscious awareness of it all the time.
Maybe you could spend a few more moments simply appreciating your natural breath that gives you life.
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Contemplate with Soul
Invite in gentle curiousity as you sit with the following questions and journal/ draw/ creatively express/ move your body and allow the answers to emerge from within.
- What part(s) of your life feels out of balance? Why? (See if you might be able to discover the root cause for this imbalance as you dig deeper)
- What part(s) of your inner being needs to be tended to?
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Interested in a deeper connection?
Let's meet over coffee (online)!
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