In this episode, I’m chatting with my guest, Ruthie Sterrett from the Consistency Corner about the power of choosing a word of the year. If you’re ready to live intentionally in 2024, you won’t want to miss it!

In this episode, I’m visiting with my friend, Dr. Stephanie Kunst. She is sharing her experiences as an Elegant Balance Academy student with you! We discuss the challenges she faced and the way the Elegant Balance Academy helped her create a work-life balance she loves - leaving her feeling more present and patient than ever before!

I wanted this episode to be a part two to the last episode because I took my own advice and did some of the things that I recommended there and wanted to share with you what that looks like for our family and just how truly simple creating holiday magic can be.

Around the holidays we are bombarded with demands on our schedules – your own holiday work parties, invitations from friends and family, and then your kids’ Christmas class parties and concerts. All of this on top of shopping for gifts, planning menus, cleaning your home, attending church, and trying to squeeze in as many family traditions as possible. A time that should be filled with joy quickly becomes overwhelming.

With two kids now in grade school, I am finding myself packing lunchboxes on a regular basis. Over the past few years, I’ve learned a few tips and tricks for simplifying this somewhat overwhelming task and wanted to share them with you in hopes that it will simplify your life and open up space for you to focus on other priorities.

As summer's relaxed days fade, the school routine takes center stage. While some may long for structure, others might be reluctant to bid farewell to those carefree summer moments. Amidst this shift, I've found myself pondering ways to make the transition smoother for everyone involved.

As I walked and let my mind wander, I came to the conclusion that the mantra “quality over quantity” could apply to so many aspects of working women’s lives. And when truly embraced, help us along on our journey towards an elegantly balanced life.

So, call it what you want – “soft girl summer”, intentional summer, a summer slowdown… in this post I want to share 25 simple activities that you can do to slow down this summer, be present with your kids, and squeeze as much joy out of this season as you do those lemons in your fresh lemonade.

When we apply that concept to our own work-life balance we end up with a work-life balance that is beautiful in its simplicity and effectiveness. An elegant balance is about rejecting the notion that having a career and children must be overwhelming and stressful. Sure, we all have our moments, but we don’t accept that as our fate. Instead, pursuing an elegantly balanced life involves defining our ideally balanced life and pursuing it passionately; curating each aspect of our lives so as to maximize simplicity, beauty, and joy.

You don’t “achieve” work-life balance. It is not some end-goal that you will wake up one day having achieved, never to be thought of again. It’s a journey.

I'm sure you've seen those dreamy Pinterest closets that seem to have it all – chandeliers, endless racks of designer clothes, and sparkly accents. While we may not have the luxury of a walk-in closet the size of a child’s bedroom, we can still take inspiration from these closets and replicate the details that make them so beautiful in our own closets.

If spring cleaning my home makes me feel this good, what else could I “spring clean?” Where in my life could I use a fresh start? Some decluttering? Some renewal? I decided to look at my daily routines. Seeing as they are daily, they literally impact my life each and every day. And if you’re like me, you may have fallen into some not-so-great habits with regards to your routines.

Sunday is also the perfect day to set yourself up for a successful week. With a little bit of planning and a few small actions, you can ensure that your week goes smoothly. Here are five things that I do (and that you can do too) on Sunday to prepare for a better week ahead.

So, assuming that you want to show up as the best possible version of yourself in each of those roles, you have to take your style into consideration. Now, even though I believe that style is important, I’m also a huge fan of elegance – things being beautiful in their simplicity and effectiveness. So today, I wanted to share some simple, yet effective, tips on looking more professional and polished at work.

Think about your favorite dress – the one that fits you like a glove, hugging you in all the right places, and makes you feel confident and powerful, ready to conquer world. Now, imagine having that same feeling, but with your job. What if your job could be tailor-made for you? What if it was designed to align with your strengths, interests, and values? That's what job crafting is all about.

Not only had I not read the book, but I had also never even heard of hygge. I’m sure my expression was one of complete confusion as I turned to her and said “What in the world is hygge?!” Being the researcher that I am, I immediately checked out every hygge book I could find at the library. I loved the concept so much that I slowly started incorporating more and more hygge into my family’s everyday lives. It didn’t take long before my kids started requesting hygge (sitting by the fire each evening with dimmed lights, soft music, and board games) and it has now become a Hackney family evening routine.

Since this time of year is one for dreaming, goal-setting, and planning and because my guess is that many of you would love to have a better work-life balance in 2023, I thought I’d share three simple steps to creating a better work-life balance; an elegant balance. These three steps are the framework around which the entire Elegant Balance Academy (my new online course that launches soon) is built.

The new year is right around the corner, brimming with potential and opportunities. It’s a chance for a fresh start, new beginning, and pursuit of our wildest dreams. I know you have dreams. Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve allowed yourself to think about them… it feels selfish or indulgent, but if you dig way deep down, I know you have desires that you would love to see come to fruition in the next 12 months. We all do.