When the pandemic happened five years ago and everything was shifting to virtual care including my private practice, I was not on board. If you know me, you know navigating technology is not my strongest skill. I was fairly resistant to virtual meetings and refused it when I could. However, like most of us, I eventually allowed the wave of virtual sessions with interrupting pets, children, Amazon deliveries to take over and now I continue to offer both virtual and in person therapy because I believe, at this point, they both have their place.

I am still of the mind that in person connection and community is primary to our well-being. I attend and teach in-person yoga classes on a regular basis and I additionally continue to believe that in-person therapy is irreplaceable, but there is this new space that has opened up. A space that I am not sure we (or maybe just I) fully understood prior to that forced pandemic shift.

For years, I have talked about IDEAL vs REAL with many of the people I work with. IDEAL is our best intention, while REAL might be all we can achieve right now. Ideally, we would meal plan a 4 course dinner that is packed full of nutrition every night. We would then eat that impressive meal as we laugh and explore our days together...ENTER REAL: Grabbing a grilled cheese and Go-Gurt on the way out the door to soccer practice in my family. Do I wish the ideal option was happening every night... yes, but it's not. And if I only allow space for something that is unrealistic, then I might get stuck in a shame spiral of feeling like we are always failing and what's the point of even trying?

Ideal is a spotless house. Real is a house where one room has been "kind of" cleaned, while the rest of the rooms are "decorated" with our life. Ideal is sitting in front of a window or fire place reading a book in peace and quiet. Real is listening to my audio book as I get through the pile of laundry on my bed. Ideal is mindful movement for one hour a day. Real is stretching and grabbing a walk with the dogs in between meetings. IDEAL vs REAL. Ideal is the intention to reach our best self, but REAL is the back up option if IDEAL just isn't attainable that day, week month, year or season.

So this is where self-care that FITS YOU comes in. I was living in a place of IDEAL for a long time. Ideally we are getting in to the office every week. Ideally we were getting in to the studio every week. Ideally we were meditating or breathing every day. It wasn't always happening though. The reality is there are just going to be some seasons in all of our lives that we can't get in the IDEAL self-care we would prefer. Whether it's because of busy schedules, lack of confidence, negative body image, social anxiety, or facing that guilt that you haven't quite figured out how to get past yet for stepping away from the house for yourself. This is what Balanced Intentions is here for. When you are living in the thick of REAL and can't quite get to your IDEAL yet, this virtual space is here to offer you convenient self-care sessions that last 15-45 minutes long from the comfort of your own space as you are navigating your own season.

Virtual sessions don't replace the community connection that we need, but it does offer a step toward building COMMITMENT to yourself. I like to think of BALANCED INTENTIONS as a space that FITS YOU. Make it yours. Jump in for a quick 15 minute live CORE BELIEFS session before work or a mid-day 30 minute virtual RESET class during your lunch break (still eat your lunch though!) If none of our live classes work for you, consider signing up for a YOU-GA class, which is a private class created just for you and YOUR INTENTIONS OR jump in a Sunday SPECIALITY Series. Check out our schedule to see what works for you at https://www.balancedintentions.com/schedule. Don't forget to use our FREECLASS4U code for a free class to try us on to see if we FIT YOU.