I hear this all the time from my clients no matter their age, that they fear falling & hurting themselves. Especially clients that are older & don’t want to break anything, especially a hip.

I always have to be vigilant about keeping my balance, no matter what I’m faced with in my life. With the kind of work I do as a professional organizer, I always have to be hyper-focused on maintaining my balance if I’m in a home that is really cluttered. I’ve had to walk on & over piles of belongings & balance is key. Even homes that aren’t that cluttered, all it takes is one misstep & down I go. How embarrassing or dangerous that could be.

Even in my own home, I really have to be careful. I tend to be the most relaxed at home, so I might not look down when walking up a step or down a step. Not necessarily a good idea & a recipe for falling, so I’m always saying in my head “look down or step up.” It does help to keep me focused on what I’m doing or where my body & head are at the time. I’ve been known to get up too fast & bang my head on something.

But keeping our balance takes more then just saying mantras to keep us safe. It’s taking the steps to learn how to physically strengthen our balance. I like these simple exercises that help improve balance https://www.wikihow.com/Improve-Balance.

But more than that, when I think about balance, I also think about maintaining good sleep habits, good nutrition & consistent exercise. I really see the difference in my life when I slack off & eat unhealthy or don’t exercise or especially if my sleep is off.

The practice of good sleep hygiene is powerful. It’s a constant practice of getting into bed at the same time & waking up at the same time. Having uninterrupted, deep sleep is the key to waking up & feeling truly rested. For me 7 1/2 to 8 hours of sleep is best. Like anything else, consistency is the key. Especially if I go workout first thing in the morning, I feel strong for the rest of the day.

Now I’ll go & practice what I preach & get ready for a good night sleep.