The more successful I became in the working world, the harder it seemed to be making healthy and balanced choices in my life. After I earned my M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management and landed a great job as a marketing manager at a beauty company, working eighty-hour weeks was the norm.
Scarfing a slice of pizza in front of my computer, sugar cravings, a joyless, never-ending “to do” list - this wasn’t the life I wanted! I knew I was capable of – and deserved – a life much more interesting, balanced and…well, fun!
I enrolled in The School of Integrative Nutrition, where I learned that food and lifestyle are intricately connected. I came to understand that self-care is something to plan for every day, even when important meetings or a family crisis could easily take center stage. I also learned how to listen to my inner voice – and that when I follow it, day-to-day life is easier.
You can guess the rest of the story. My performance at work got better as I mastered decisiveness and time management. My social life was energized as I finished my work and could leave the office at a reasonable hour.
And then a funny thing happened. Friends – even acquaintances - started to ask me for advice. It felt so good to help other people to make meaningful changes to their lives. So I made a career out of my passion as a holistic health counselor, certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. I began my work as a nutrition and lifestyle counselor in March of 2005.
As I have worked with my clients, most of which are successful professionals and moms, I realized that helping these women to find balance was the most important component of my work. Women would come to me starving themselves because they were lonely or sick because they worked too hard. I discovered that the concept of balance is different for everyone. Sometimes it is about health, other times it is about finding the right relationship and still others it is about changing a job.
As a result I expanded my team at Ideal Balance to include experts in three main areas: health, relationships and career. Now I’m able to help women find balance in all the areas of their lives how and when they need it.
