Even the most successful people are always striving to find balance in their lives. That's what makes them great leaders and all-round good people.

Most of us have a time in our lives when we just feel out of whack. Specifically, we feel like we've lost that sense of work-life balance. We know we may have been putting in too many long hours each week or spreading our time between helping others and life’s necessary tasks, and we can feel the side effects of making that kind of commitment. So, in 2019 What are you going to do to make it a fantastic year for you and what is important to you?

Here are some tips and inspiration for living a great life.

Physical Health and wellbeing
Vicki and Mike walking in Marlborough Sounds.

A healthy lifestyle has both short and long-term health benefits. Long-term, eating a balanced diet, taking regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight can add years to your life.Whether you are a CEO, retired, a busy mum or a go-getter at work, it's easy to let things like exercise and diet go by the wayside once things get busy in life. This is the only body you're going to get, and it needs to carry you until the end of the game. That's why it's critical to continue to keep your body strong and healthy enough to enable you to do the things that excite you - whether that's traveling for business or visiting your grandkids. The key here is to be fit enough that you don't have to say "no" to anything you want to do.

Health and Wellbeing
Having a new hair style or make over can make us feel amazing.

Taking time to look after your personal image is also vitally important and have a grooming regime that suits your lifestyle, budget, and personality.

Family is precious
Family is precious.

Making time for family is so important. No one knows you like your family. How balanced do you feel with your family time? Family ties are the tightest relationships you should have in your life no matter how busy things get daily. Family members are truly part of your support network, they perk us up when you are down, make us laugh when you want to cry.

Friends keep us grounded, balanced and happy
Friends keep us grounded, balanced and happy.

Friends are so important and most of the time they support us and make us feel great. Do you have a group of friends like you hang out with regularly, maybe for a book club or to go play soccer? If not, it's time to start building these kinds of relationships. Having people around you that you like, and trust is one of the best indicators of living a long life. If you are sacrificing relationships like these because you're working too hard, you're clearly not in balance.

Love

If you are still wondering why is love so important in our lives, the answer is that it satisfies the emotional needs of human beings. Human beings have an innate quality of giving and feeling love. ... It is this feeling of love, which is responsible for the existence and maintenance of society.

Hobbies in the garden
Vicki in her garden, one of her favorite hobbies.

Having a hobby that we enjoy brings us joy and enriches our lives. It gives us something fun to do during our leisure time and affords us the opportunity to learn new skills. ... I personally love getting out in the garden, also my husband and I love entertaining with family and friends.

Spiritual
Meditation is the perfect spiritual time out.

meditation
Treating your self to a facial or a massage is a great way to relax and unwind.

The final aspect of living a balanced life is your spiritual side. This could be anything from taking a walk in the woods, time out for a facial to making a trip to church on Sunday - whatever fills up your spiritual cup. This is how we renew ourselves when we're down-and it's something that can be easily neglected.

Finding balance isn't always easy. It takes an effort to live an all rounded happy life.