7 Steps to Finding Life Balance in an Unbalanced World
If you took inventory of your life today, you’d discover that every circumstance, challenge, opportunity and achievement you experience fits into 7 major categories:
• Fitness • Finances • Family • Field (Career)
• Faith • Friends • Fun
More than 20 years ago, two holistic physicians—Dr. Dave Braun and Dr. Troy Amdahl—created “The 7 F’s of Oola” to help people establish new habits, practice new ways of living, and take those daily actions that are key to bringing life into balance, then keeping it that way on an ongoing basis. Today, “The Oola Guys” are international bestselling authors, social media influencers, personal growth experts, and founders of Oola Coaching with countless successful clients around the world.
Since the first copy of their blockbuster book, Oola: Find Balance in an Unbalanced World, rolled off the presses years ago, the Oola lifestyle has become a phenomenon with over a million readers seeking the Oola life. Countless success stories of real people around the globe confirm that the simple, practical, easy-to-implement Oola formula works to help people get healthy, eliminate debt, build wealth, move into their dream career, have more fun, create a better circle of friends, resolve lifelong family conflict, find their ultimate life purpose . . . and so much more.
Oola is not about achieving an important goal in a single area. It’s not just about making more money or losing weight or meeting your soulmate. It’s also about tackling the tough stuff, cleaning up relationships, setting boundaries, and eliminating stress—all while dreaming big dreams again and putting together a plan to get the complete life you want.
Are you ready to get your Oola life? Deciding what you want in these 7 areas will help:
Your Fitness & Physical Health: One of the greatest aspects of living an ideal life is a healthy, vibrant body that looks good and supports all the activities you want to pursue. If you know your health and body could be improved, start visualizing now what you want them to look like.
Your Finances & Debt-Free Lifestyle: Your monthly income, spending, debts, savings and investments will dictate the kind of life you lead—including whether you eventually get what you want. Deciding what you want in your financial life is imperative. And it will usually take some research to discover what things cost. For now, however, start thinking about the big picture. What kind of financial life do you want?
Your Family Relationships: One of the most fundamental requirements for the survival of humans is social interaction. And your own family members are the most foundational connections of all. But how these family relationships support, affect, enhance or expand your life is up to you. What do you want your family relationships to look like?
Your Field, Career & Calling: For most people, a job, career or profession not only occupies the majority of the workweek, it also forms a large part of your identity. It affects your well-being and contributes to (or diminishes) your happiness and contentment. It can uplevel your finances, your relationships, your personal growth and more. And if you’re following a career as a full-time parent, you’ve chosen one of the most demanding and important jobs in existence. Deciding what you want in your career will set the stage for every other area of your life.
Your Faith in God & Daily Walk: Many successful people attribute their achievements to a strong belief in God, as well as prayerful, daily devotion. Others renew their faith after a lifetime of struggle. Wherever you are in your faith walk, the Oola Guys remind us that you were designed by God for greatness; your life circumstances do not define you. You have a special purpose on this Earth and an active relationship with God will help you discover that life purpose.
Your Friends & Network: It’s said that we become like the five people we hang out with the most. Well, who are you hanging out with? If your friendships and social circle could use some fine-tuning, this is your chance to “reverse-engineer” the friendships and social relationships you want—including being a better friend yourself. By choosing to be a good friend, you will naturally attract other supportive, positive and loving people into your world.
Your Fun Time & Bucket List: Over the past few decades, studies have shown people are working more and vacationing less. But free time and recreation are part of an ideal life. Rest and relaxation are necessary. And deciding what you want to do during your “down time” will improve and enhance every other area of your life.
Creating balance in your life is a process that includes working on all 7 areas. The key is to decide what you want in these areas, set some goals, and stay accountable to taking action daily to bring about those goals. Working with a coach can help keep you on track and accountable for results. And I’m here to help.
Email me at ashleymartin@lifeinbloomco.com and we can jump on a call to chat about it. You can also go here to check out the Oola Coaching Program I deliver for clients who want more balance, less stress, and more happiness in their lives. Over just 10 weeks, with the Oola Guys as your instructors and mentors, you and I will work on every major area of your life including finances, fitness, family, field (career), faith, friends and fun. Together we’ll face what’s not working for you and create a workable plan for lowering your stress, creating life balance, having more fun, and pursuing major life goals that are important to you. Ready to get your own Oola life? Contact me and let’s get started.
There’s so much to be grateful for. But instead, our unbalanced world seems to be in a constant state of complaining. Spend a few hours online and you’ll meet people who’re grumbling about their jobs, their spouses, the state of the economy, politics, and so much more. Gratitude, on the other hand, is the opposite of complaining. In fact, those two beliefs cannot coexist in your brain at the same time. Try it. The next time you are goosebumps, tear-in-the-eye grateful, try to complain. It can’t happen. Gratitude in pushes complaining out.
How can you maintain a constant state of gratitude?
Tip #1: Whatever you’re grateful for, write it down. While some days are meant to be celebrated, others simply have to be endured. But in all days—regardless of what happens—be grateful in all things. One activity that will help you stay in a state of gratitude is to start writing every day in a Gratitude Journal. It’s not something other people will read—it’s just for you. Every evening, as you end your day, jot down those things you’re grateful for—whether it’s something you have now or something new that showed up for you today. It may even be something that felt bad in the moment but that was an important lesson you needed in that moment. Or it might be something amazing that will lead you to your ideal life.
Tip #2: “You get what you focus on.” Have you ever heard that motto? While it normally applies to something we want to accomplish in our lives, there’s nothing wrong with focusing on being grateful for what we have already. Focusing on what’s good, what’s plentiful, or what’s improving in your world helps keep you in a state to receive even more of what’s good, plentiful, and improving. It’s like you’re saying, This is all cool. What else is out there for me? It keeps you in a state of grateful anticipation.
Tip #3: Be grateful for what you have, but also want more. Unfortunately, millions of people are too satisfied. They’re complacent. They’ve achieved some of what they want, but they haven’t taken their life to the next level: they’ve stopped growing. What they don’t realize, of course, is that wanting more of what’s good—and living in this state of grateful anticipation—will actually bring them even more to be grateful about.
Once you get into the practice of being grateful, you’ll discover that opportunities to grow in gratitude exist every day. But here’s the key: these opportunities will only be found if you proactively seek out things to be grateful for. How? Watch for big things, like a phone call that up-levels your career, or randomly discovering your dream house before it goes on the market. Look for little things, like finding a parking space near the entrance, or getting a refund check in the mail. You’ll soon see that opportunities are hidden in every encounter—all of which you can be grateful for when they happen.
Tip #4: Be grateful no matter what. When something bad—and totally unexpected—hits you and you think, There’s no way anyone could be grateful about this, could you still be grateful? If you lose your job unexpectedly, could you eventually move into a new career that you’re even more passionate about? If the committee doesn’t choose you, is it possible that something better might come along that you’re free to do because you’re not committed elsewhere? Being grateful in the face of hardship isn’t easy. But by working to make gratitude a daily habit, you can go through your day with more optimism in general. You’ll be more mentally prepared if the worst happens.
Tip #5: “Choose happiness.” It’s always fun to see that on a bumper sticker or Pinterest because it’s such a quaint idea. If you think about it, whoever talks about happiness anymore? Happiness is not something you find or that other people give you. Instead, it’s something you choose on your own. And making small changes like being grateful? That creates a shift in your outlook. You can wake up every day and live your life, or you can wake up every day and let life happen to you. Whether you drive the bus or ride the bus, it’s always your choice.
Gratitude will help you revive and recommit to the dreams and goals you have for your life. When you DO recommit, why not use the same secret weapon that top achievers do: coaching. Of all the things successful people do to accelerate their path to the healthy, balanced and financially secure life they want, working with a coach is at the top of the list.
The Oola Coaching Program is the formula I’ve discovered that has transformed not only my life, but the lives of countless people around the world. It’s based on the international bestselling book, Oola: Find Balance in an Unbalanced World, by The OolaGuys, Dave Braun and Troy Amdahl. This landmark 10-week program will help you define the goals you want to achieve, then keep you accountable to doing those things every day that bring about the results you want.
I’ve even become certified as an Oola Life Coach to pace you through the program and hold you accountable for taking the actions that will get you to your goals. Together we’ll face what’s not working for you and create a workable plan for lowering your stress, creating life balance, having more fun, and pursuing major life goals that are important to you.
Check out Oola Coaching now. Then, email me at ashleymartin@lifeinbloomco.com about the activities, career, fitness level, finances, faith walk, and family relationships you’ve decided you want. I’ll be your biggest cheerleader and most supportive guide to getting there.
One of my favorite quotes is from corporate consultant Jack Rosenblum who said: If one person tells you you're a horse, they’re crazy. If three people tell you you're a horse, there's a conspiracy afoot. If ten people tell you you're a horse, it's time to buy a saddle.
LOL. But what Jack’s really talking about here is feedback—the kind we don’t want to hear and, too often, the kind that many of us ignore.
Well, what feedback are you getting about your family that you might be ignoring? One of the toughest things my coaching clients have to work through is a family situation that’s stressful, heartbreaking or simply needs attention.
So today, what’s one small step—a 1% improvement—you can make to improve your marriage, family relationships, boundaries, house rules, or living situation?
Could you . . .
• Schedule a date night this Saturday with your spouse?
• Have that “difficult conversation” with your aging parent?
• Cook dinner as a family at least three nights this week?
• Establish a calm morning routine for younger children?
• Set boundaries with your argumentative brother?
Your family is your inner circle—the people you should turn to in tough times, but also the people who turn to YOU for the same reason.
If you need to show up differently and make some serious changes (in your family situation or any other category), I have good news: I’ve teamed up with Oola authors Dr. Dave Braun and Dr. Troy Amdahl to bring you a 10-week focused approach to creating a life that’s balanced, happy, and growing.
Don't just dream about the ideal life you want. Start living it with Oola Coaching. Click now (or email me)!
Recently, a Pew Research study asked people what’s essential to living “the dream life.”
77% said they wanted “Freedom of choice in how to live.”
70% answered “Having a good family life.”
60% said “Retiring comfortably.”
48% responded “Making a valuable community contribution,” and . . .
43% said “Having a successful career” was essential, too.
Now what about YOU? Have you ever wondered what the perfect life looks like for you? Is it financial freedom, a beautiful house, supportive relationships . . . or, like the people in the study above, something else entirely?
Well, today, I’d like to help you envision that perfect life. I’d like to help you decide what you want, then talk to you about ways we can bring that about—faster than you ever thought possible.
To help you start dreaming about the future (perhaps for the first time in years), I have a FREE planning journal for you.
Inside the “Oola Life Planner” I’ll send you is a seven-part exercise that helps you look at every area of your life today . . . then start dreaming about what you really want in the near future.
What is “Oola” and why can this process help YOU?
More than 20 years ago, two holistic physicians—Dr. Dave Braun and Dr. Troy Amdahl—created a formula called Oola to help people establish new habits, practice new ways of living, and take those daily actions that are key to bringing life into balance, then keeping it that way on an ongoing basis. Today, “The OolaGuys” are international bestselling authors, social media influencers, personal growth experts, and founders of Oola Coaching with countless successful clients around the world.
Tons of victory stories of real people confirm that the simple, practical, easy-to-implement Oola formula works to help people get healthy, eliminate debt, build wealth, move into their dream career, have more fun, create a better circle of friends, resolve lifelong family conflict . . . and so much more.
But here’s the best part: together, the Oola Guys and I have created an exciting opportunity to help you achieve your own story of balance, happiness and growth this year: it’s the 10-week Oola Coaching Program.
To talk to me about working on YOUR FUTURE over the next 10 weeks, click HERE and choose a convenient, no-pressure 30-minute appointment time from my online calendar. To get the Oola Life Planner and start the process before we talk, simply click this link.
What could you achieve by focusing on YOUR future? I look forward to hearing from you.
Of all the things successful people do to accelerate their path to the lifestyle they want, working with a coach is at the top of the list. Oola Coaching is the formula I discovered that has transformed not only my life, but the lives of more than a million people around the world.
What is Oola? It’s short for Ooh-la-la . . . that feeling you get when you wake up every day happy, growing and looking forward to what life has next. It’s living a balanced life in our unbalanced world. With vibrant good health, equally healthy finances, family and friends who support you, fun times, and a career or calling that inspires you every day. That’s the Oola Life.
And now, my new calling is helping people get their own OolaLife . . . whatever defines it for you. I’ll be challenging you to look at every area of your life, asking yourself, “Where can I improve? Where do I need to calm the overwhelm?” When you ask those questions, I have the solution: a 10-week coaching program that focuses on bringing balance and an amazing future to all major areas of your life: fitness, finances, family, field (career) , faith, friends and fun. Together we will follow a specific curriculum, but also:
• Determine specific action steps to help you achieve your goals
• Help you sort through opportunities that arise from your forward momentum
• Keep you focused on your top priorities while fitting in daily tasks
• Achieve balance in your life while still accomplishing your lifestyle or career goals
Ask me about how we can work together! Email me at ashleymartin@lifeinbloomco.com
7 Secrets to Achieving Life Balance and a More Rewarding, Stress-Free career
Overwhelming debt. Marriages on life support. Time bandits that leave no room for family, friends, or fun. This is what our modern-day culture has brought us to. And it all adds up to overscheduled and overworked lives that are out of balance.
Luckily, there’s a solution.
This 7-step formula, based on the bestselling book series, Oola: Finding Balance in an Unbalanced World, is one I use with clients because it’s designed to quickly lower stress and make space for a life of purpose, success and satisfaction:
Fitness: Eliminating sugar, processed foods, bad fats and addictive substances — emphasizing whole foods instead — brings about the mental clarity, confidence and high energy needed to focus on goals in the other 6 areas of your life.
Finance: Eliminating debt — and the accompanying stress it brings — returns personal finances to a more manageable routine where monthly budgeting, auto-saving for retirement, and planning major purchases are the norm.
Family: If you’re not working on your marriage, you’re working on your divorce. Additionally, focusing on your inner circle family members (and protecting them from toxic family “outliers”) eliminates drama and creates a safe environment for kids to grow.
Field: Studies show up to 70% of people hate their jobs. If that describes you, creating a plan to safely transition into a new role (or new field entirely) is key to finding balance.
Faith: While I don’t tell clients what to believe, having an active faith walk — with prayerful meditation time, church affiliation, and regular study — keeps people balanced.
Friends: Friends influence our life, career and relationship decisions, so “reverse-engineering” the friendships you want is crucial. And friends who create drama? Decide whether to have a crucial conversation or simply unfriend, unfollow, delete.
Fun: Adding everyday fun and bigger “bucket list” trips and experiences not only adds to the joy of life, it delivers physiological benefits like lower stress and beneficial human connection. Yet too many adults plan to wait until retirement. Fun is necessary.
Achieving a life of contentment, vibrant good health, ample finances, and supportive relationships is what I help clients with. Contact me to start working on your 7 areas and getting the life you dream of and deserve.
