A Balanced Lifestyle

How many of us can say that we have a balanced lifestyle? Well for me, I thought I did.

This time last time last year I was working 35 hours a week in a job that I thought I had enjoyed. But subconsciously I hated it and sure I led myself to believe that I enjoyed it. But in reality I was only fooling myself, especially since I had become over occupied with other commitments of my professional and personal life. It wasn’t until I found myself admitted into hospital for three weeks that I had the chance to reflect and realise that I did indeed have a very unhealthy lifestyle. This consisted of less than 5 hours of sleep a night, an unhealthy diet and unhealthy habit of smoking shisha on a regular basis. As a result my body couldn’t take this battering anymore and I became so ill that the type of pain that I experienced I couldn’t comprehend with words, even if I tried.

While I was in hospital I was fortunate to meet a wise patient, who shared the same ward. After short introductions we become very close friends, as if we had known each other since childhood. We would spend hours on hours talking about life, family, religion and our hopes for the future. During our many conversations, I remember he would always remind me how precious our health was and how easily we neglected to look after ourselves because we become preoccupied with work and other commitments that seemed more important at the time.

As the weeks passed my health started to improve and I was eventually discharged from the hospital. But unfortunately for my friend, his health deteriorated and took a turn for the worse as the weeks went on. Once I was discharged from hospital I would visit him on a regular basis. On my last visit to see him at the ward, I found out that he was in the intensive care unit and couple of days later he passed away. It was a complete shock for me to have gained and lost a friend in such a short period of time.

I wanted to share this personal story, as a reminder of how short life is and how sometimes we forget to see how precious our health is until it’s too late. To honour my friend’s memory I try everyday to have a balanced lifestyle in order for my life to be fulfilling, whether it is within my personal or professional aspirations.

As you read this article, ask yourself do you have a balanced lifestyle?