goals Archives - Balancing It All

June 16, 2022June 15, 2022

Why I Moved to Ireland

Landscape photo I took of Glendalough in Dublin, Ireland. I had never seen anywhere so green before.

For those who didn’t know, I just made the move to Dublin, Ireland! It’s been almost 3 weeks at the time I’m writing this and it’s been quite the rollercoaster of events but I’m embracing all the obstacles, the good, the bad, the expected, and the unexpected.

I wrote about why I wanted to move abroad in the first place and in this post, I’ll explain why I moved to Ireland.

Why I Moved to Ireland

To vaguely recap, I’ve wanted to move abroad since about 2016 when I went to London to visit family.

Fastforward about three to four years later, I started to put my plan of moving abroad into motion. It was a very slow and long process. There were so many times where it felt like I wasn’t making any progress at all. Anytime I told someone I was making this move, I felt like I was lying because I didn’t have anything to show for it.

I eventually got my Polish passport which gives me the right to live and work freely in the European Union. That alone would open more doors for me without needing a visa to live in the EU. It also took a couple years to get. It’s not government work if it doesn’t take a long time, right?

(Side note: if you want to make a move like this and you have family abroad, read up on dual citizenship laws. Maybe you can do something similar! You may have to do some digging in your family tree but it’s definitely worth it.)

By the time I got my Polish passport, Brexit happened and England left the EU. This sucked because I got my Polish passport to make it easier to live in London and now that possibility seemed even further away.

Around that same time, I visited Ireland on my first solo trip. Usually, I’d be traveling with my cousin but this time, I went on my own.

I knew I would have a great time but I was surprised by how much I loved it. It was so easy to get around, everything was GREEN, the people were friendly, the food and drinks were excellent, and I had a blast even though I was mostly on my own. Staying in an Airbnb in town and getting around myself allowed me to briefly feel like a local. All these things influenced my decision to pick Ireland.

Granted, all those experiences happened as a tourist but I knew that the real deal would still be a lot of fun.

I toyed with the idea of going to another EU country but I decided to stick with Ireland. The thought of moving abroad to foreign country was overwhelming enough; I didn’t want the added pressure of not knowing the language or translating my CV when applying for jobs. I knew if I moved to Ireland, I would have an amazing experience and the transition would be a bit more seamless.

Now that I made my decision, I just had to execute it.

Want to Know More?

So, I’ve established why I wanted to move abroad and why I chose Ireland. The last part will go over why I decided to move to a foreign country in 2022. Make sure you subscribed so you’re the first to read it when it’s out!

May 9, 2022May 9, 2022

How your hobby can change your life

At one point or another, we’ve heard that we should do what we’re passionate about. And for the longest time, I never understood it until recently. I never realized how your hobby can change your life.

A little backstory

I’ve never known what I wanted to do when I grew up. Even in my twenties, I had absolutely no clue. I had the stable 9-5 because that’s what I thought I had to do. I fell into it because I was decent at it and I was scared I wasn’t cut out for anything else. The paycheck was also nice. But at the end of the day, through the raises, promotion, office politics, and burn out, it just didn’t make me happy.

But you know what made me happy? Fitness. That was a constant in my life since 2015 when I decided to run a 5k with zero preparation. Since then, I learned more and got better every year. It wasn’t until 2021 when I decided to take the plunge and start working in the fitness industry.

How your hobby can change your life

What started as a hobby became something I’m pivoting my life towards.

Maybe you’re not looking for your hobby to be your career but I can say with certainty the satisfaction you feel by doing your hobby will spread to other areas of your life. It may not be immediate and you may not even notice it in the moment.

But whenever you take stock of recent months or years, there’s sure to be a positive change that was a result of you working on your craft or hobby.

Take fitness, for example. It not only helped me get physically stronger, it also tests my mental strength, introduced me to amazing friends, improved my public speaking, and gave me the confidence to pivot careers. All these benefits simply because I stuck to what I enjoyed doing even if I was a total beginner and had no idea what I was doing.

Now it’s your turn

You don’t have to make any drastic changes. But consider leaning into something you’ve always wanted to try. Maybe it’s gardening, maybe it’s doing a 5k, or maybe it’s learning how to cook. You may suck at it at first (and that’s OK!) but overtime, you’ll improve and you’ll feel different…better. Maybe your confidence will grow, maybe it’ll open new doors you never thought possible, and maybe you’ll meet people you never would’ve met otherwise.

Give it a shot. What’s your hobby and how has it impacted your life? Share in the comments! I’d love to read about what sparks joy for you.

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A post shared by SOPHIA ▲ travel + gym + health + life (@balancingitall)

April 2, 2022May 11, 2022

Doing the Thing that Makes Us Uncomfortable

There will be times where you’re at crossroads and you have a choice to make. Do you go with the easier option that’s safe and comfortable or do you go in with blind faith and pick the challenging option? I was at that crossroads at the end of January and I had mini-epiphanies that we should be doing the thing that makes us uncomfortable.

I had a goal I wanted to accomplish years ago but because of reasons and excuses, I kept putting it off. With the pandemic, things were starting to line up to make this goal a reality. And even though I know it’s something I really want, I still found ways to talk myself out of it.

What gave me the push to actually follow through was:

1. Telling Other People

Manifesting it into existence, putting it out into the universe, whatever you want to call it, I made it known this is what I wanted to accomplish even if I didn’t 100% believe in myself yet. To be honest, I still don’t. But I put it out there, I let my friends and family know this is what I was going to do. I think the awkwardness I would feel from saying it and not following through was the extra push I needed.

2. Knowing I Wasn’t Doing What I Preached

I am a group fitness trainer at my local F45 Training studio and when our members are at the tail-end of a workout and they’re fatigued, I remind them that in order to grow and get strong, you have to allow yourself to get uncomfortable. As I say those words in class, I kept realizing that I wasn’t living by that. I want to be a role model for others and how could I be if I didn’t live up to what I tell our members?

I Took the Plunge; Now What?

I finally sucked it up and took a MAJOR step towards my goal. Did I have a moment of WTF right before? YES. But I did it and now I feel like it wasn’t that big of a deal. Or maybe I’m in denial. Too early to tell!

But the important thing is that I did it. I took the option that has an unclear outcome. I’m moving forward with blind faith that I’ll be just fine. I picked the option that is challenging but will allow me to grow and get stronger.

How Does This Apply to You and What Do You Do About It?

It’s likely you have something you want to accomplish but you’re not doing it because of reasons you told yourself. Maybe some of these are legitimate reasons and maybe some of them aren’t and you can get those out of the way.

Be honest with yourself and determine what’s legit and what’s an excuse.

Then take a step towards your goal. Doesn’t matter how big or small it is; just take any step beyond what you’ve already done which, if you’re like me, involves a lot of dead-end “research.”

Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Then start doing the thing that makes you uncomfortable. If you don’t try, you’ll never know and if you don’t push yourself, you’ll never grow. Remind yourself of that when you start doubting yourself. You’ll want to second-guess yourself and stay in your comfort zone. Unless there’s a real reason, keep moving forward.

January 31, 2022May 11, 2022

Why You Can’t Rely on Motivation

Sophia taking a shameless selfie at the gym. I'm not always motivated but I have a goal in mind so I put in the work even if it's not perfect all the time.

You’ve heard it before: “How do you stay motivated at the gym?”, “I have no motivation to do these chores.” It’s like it’s the secret to getting anything done. Here’s why you can’t rely on motivation.

Why You Can’t Rely on Motivation

I’ll cut to the chase: motivation ain’t gonna cut it long term.

There have been so many times where I feel extremely motivated to do something but literally 5 minutes later, it’s gone and I dread doing anything.

If we relied on motivation, we’d never get anything done because what do we do when it’s gone?

What You Can Do Instead of Depending on Motivation

1. Have smaller goals

Sometimes, the idea or outcome of something is more exciting than the actual work. The actual work is daunting and overwhelming. I totally get that.

Breaking your goal down into smaller chunks can make the process more tolerable and manageable.

Say you want to move to another country. The end result of being in another country is wonderful. But the actual steps to get there? Buying a plane ticket, finding somewhere to stay, figuring out any visa requirements, deciding where to work, wondering if you’ll have enough money, etc… none of those are as exciting as actually being there.

But take it one step at a time. Rather than staring at everything you need to do, just put one foot in front of the other and get to work.

2. Be consistent

Don’t lose momentum as you work towards your goal. Do your best to tackle something every day or as often as you can.

I’m the kind of person where if I don’t work at something regularly, I’ll lose my motivation, I’ll “forget” about it, and everything gets pushed back. But once I make it a habit, it’s harder for me to break it.

The gym’s a great example. Before I was a regular at the gym, it was so hard for me to workout. I would quit often and it was never a part of my routine even though I wanted it to be. But once I got some momentum going, it became hard to stop. Not all days will be fun or perfect, but I made it a habit and that consistency is what helps me get closer to my goal.

3. Remember your “why”

When you feel your motivation dwindling, remember WHY you want to accomplish this goal. There must be something that sparked this desire in you. Remember it and use it to refocus yourself.

It’s easy to want to quit when things get hard. But if this is something you truly want, use your “why” as the thing to get you going again.

4. Be kind to yourself

At the end of the day, you’re a human being with fluctuating emotions and feelings. You may get frustrated with yourself when you can’t bring yourself to work towards your goal. That’s OK.

Sometimes forcing yourself to do something can backfire. When you rely on motivation, it can only take you so far. And no matter how hard you try, you end up making no progress at all. Take a break and give yourself some time to regroup. Come back with fresh eyes and a clear mind. Chances are you’ll feel much better and more prepared to make some progress!

Small Progress is Still Progress

Goals are great but depending on what they are, they can be daunting to achieve. When you think you’re moving along very slowly, remember that small and slow progress is still progress. You may not get there as fast as you thought you would, but you WILL get there. Trust yourself that you can do it.

What do you do when motivation fails?

January 1, 2022May 11, 2022

2 Tips to be Successful in 2022

Sophia in Austin, Texas. It was in 2021 that I started doing things that changed my mindset from a fixed and stagnant one into one of growth and abundance. You can do it, too!

We’re a few short hours away from the new year over here on the west coast. I don’t know if it’s just me but it doesn’t feel like the end of one year and the start of another. It feels like any other day. In light of the start of a new year and many of us setting intentions, I thought I’d share 2 tips to be successful in 2022.

2 Tips to be Successful in 2022

1. Be ok with going at your own pace

This is a toughie because goals and deadlines can be a good thing. It gives us something to work towards and we feel that sense of accomplishment when we reach the finish line. But on the flip side, it can also put unnecessary pressure to do things when it’s not the right time for you yet.

I’ve had many moments where I felt I needed to do something right away. I stress myself out because it’s not thought out properly. I feel much more at ease when I know I have a goal and I can work on it at my own pace. It might be slower than I want but it allows me to be more mindful about my actions.

2. Ditch unrealistic timelines

I’ll admit I am very guilty of this so this is a reminder to myself as much as it is to you. Again, there’s nothing wrong with goals and deadlines but putting some thought behind it helps.

Here are some things to think about:

What do you want?
Can you realistically accomplish it in x amount of time?
Do you have what you need to accomplish this goal?
Will the end result be the same if you extended your deadline?

Let’s Do This!

I’m not super big on resolutions or NYE but I do plan on implementing the above to my life going forward. It’s easy to be caught up in the resolution-hype and begin planning these grand goals. I’m scaling it back a bit and taking things one step at a time. I have some big things I’d like to accomplish in 2022 and these tips will help keep me on track. I hope it does the same for you!

Let’s do this, 2022!