Because Teach Me Style is a fashion focussed blog this post wouldn’t be complete without me talking about where I find all my favourite athleisure looks. If you’ve been following along for a while, you would know that Sport Chek is my favourite place to find athletic wear.  There’s a few reasons why I love shopping at Sport Chek! First, it’s Canadian company, which means their pricing online is in Canadian currency- isn’t it annoying when you’re shopping on a website and you don’t realize it’s in USD?  You finally get to the checkout only to realize the price is nearly double what you thought because you forgot about the conversion… annoying!  Second, there’s NO duty because again,  it is a Canadian company! And last, the selection is amazing.  If you decide to take a look, I suggest you grab a coffee and carve out some time to do so!  Before you know it, an hour will have passed an you’ll be pages and pages deep into their products, happy shopping!

One of my favourite brands they carry is New Balance.  It is well known that NB makes some of the most comfortable shoes around.  These NB Women’s 574 Sport shoes are no exception!  They’re perfect for a casual walk with the dogs or even running errands- they’ll have you looking fresh and feeling comfortable!

Can we talk about how refreshing it is to be outside without one million layers on!?  I live in leggings all winter so the second the temperatures hit above zero I am all about shedding layers and grabbing for my shorts and tanks– get me some SUN!!!
What’s your favourite way to stay active? Do you prefer to hit the gym or are you like me and like exercising outdoors doing activities you love!

A special thank you to Sport Chek for partnering with me in today’s blog post! And thank YOU for supporting all of the brands I love to work with on Teach Me Style, I couldn’t do it without you!

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Like anything, the longer this balancing act continues, the better I am becoming – or the less coffee I seem to need…

Over the summer I have learned a lot about what keeps me in-sync, grounded, and what I need to reach my potential, whether that’s being the best friend I can be, completing a half-marathon, or reaching goals I set out for this blog. I’ve learned that being outside and around people are two things that are extremely important to me and affect my body and mind immensely. Activities like biking, running, hiking, and heading out for walks are not only good for the body, but are also as important for the mind and soul. As I’ve shared with you many times before, I absolutely love my job, but, like any career, there are days where anything that possibly could go wrong does, and when those days roll around, I rely heavily on the things that keep me centered.

Obviously, being in-sync with your body looks and feels different for everyone. For me, back- to- school season is always my favourite time of the year: it’s a fresh start, and a chance to get back to the basics of what life is all about! I thought I’d share my techniques for keeping my body and mind aligned with the hopes they might inspire you to try something new this fall!

1.) Cooking.  I love cooking!! Ever since I was a young girl, I have found the kitchen to be a therapeutic place to be.  I spent a lot of time at my grandma’s home growing up and the kitchen is where she spent almost all of her time.  Being at grandma’s house meant being in the kitchen and boy am I thankful for that…I can make a mean bowl of borscht…recipe coming soon.

2.) Spending time at my farm.  Whenever I feel like my shoulders are bearing a heavy burden, I like to head to my parents’ farm. It’s quiet, beautiful, and calming. Whether it’s sitting on the deck sipping a glass of wine with my parents, or taking our dogs for a walk, it’s always a good place for me to be.  After leaving the farm, I feel grounded, centered, and refocused.

3.) Running. I still have a love/hate relationship with running.  It all started because of a bad case of FOMO (fear of missing out) and now, a year later, I rely on it to keep mind clear.  There are definitely days I enjoy it more than others, but I know it’s an important piece of the puzzle for my mind and body.

4.) Walks and bike-rides with Sunny.  Just spending time with Sunny makes my heart sing, but going for walks and bike-rides together, especially in summer, is a big part of my day-to-day life.

5.) Gardening. This summer is the first time I planted a garden and I am fully addicted. Brandon built me three 4×8-foot boxes and I filled them to the brim with zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers, Swiss chard, potatoes, beans and so much more.  The entire process has been so fun and even more rewarding than I ever imagined.  Also, I go to the grocery store wayyy less… that in itself is worth it to me!

6.) Spending time with friends.  I cannot express how important this is to me. Finding friends that share the same values, activities, and humour is something I don’t take for granted.  Making time for my buddies on a weekly basis is a priority for me.  Phonecalls, dinner dates, bachelorette nights, walks around the lake, and late night coffee dates are little things that make all the difference!

SO, there you have it!  What are some things that keep you in-sync and allow you to be the best you can be?!

Being InSync is that special state when body and mind are aligned, we are in touch with our core, and we are driven from within to achieve our full potential. The positivity that radiates from being InSync will benefit all aspects of a person’s life – at work, in personal relationships and in the all-important relationship with oneself. Activia is an expertly designed yogurt with exclusive B.L. Regularis, carefully selected ingredients and a refined texture. Activia, #LiveInSync.

This post was brought to you by Activia From Danone via Mode Media Canada. The opinions expressed here are those of the influencers and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Activia from Danone.

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It definitely took me a bit to get the hang of balancing teaching and blogging along with all the other responsibilities of being an adult. It began with several cups of coffee and minimal hours of sleep but I have since found a much healthier balance.  Over the past year and a bit I have learned to use my time wisely…

I RARELY watch T.V.  When I do it’s usually on Monday’s when my girlfriends and I get together to eat junk food and watch the Bachelor!  Oh, and when I get ready in the morning I ALWAYS watch an episode of Friends, The Mindy Project, or Desperate Housewives! So, I guess I do watch some T.V but I am almost always multi-tasking when I do.

I treat TMS like my second job.  I try to set aside specific blogging hours.  Typically I will designate at least two evenings a week that are strictly for writing.  I try to keep up with my e-mails on a daily basis, usually before I go to bed… I know this is probably not the best time but it works for me.   And photoshoots almost always happen on the weekends, especially in the winter when it gets dark so early!

I wake up early… even on the weekends.  If you can’t do both mornings then just pick one!  As much as it sucks, it truly does allow you to get SOOO much more accomplished in a day and that my friends, is totally worth it!  Although I do wake up early, I try to make it more enjoyable.  I do this by sipping coffee in bed, listening to music, and snuggling with Sunny by my side while I do the minor tasks such as sorting/editing photos, replying to comments, sharing on social media, and brainstorming for content.

Stay active! Healthy bodies make healthy minds! This was something that I REALLY struggled with during the first few months of blogging.  I let my fitness regime fall to the wayside.  This is something I cannot let myself do again.  Keeping active is so healthy for obvious reasons but it especially helps to get my creative juices flowing and it keeps me motivated! Also, it’s a great way for me to visit with my friends whether it’s meeting at the gym, yoga, or just going for a walk it really does make a difference. We are ALL super busy and making time for exercise with them truly makes my week!  On Fridays you can almost always find me at the yoga studio.  I live for  my Friday yoga class.  It’s at 4:30 so it forces me to leave work and start my weekend balanced and grounded.  I used to live for a glass of wine after work, now it’s yoga… oh my how times have changed, haha!

Make lists… maybe it’s the teacher in me but my God do I have lists!   I always keep my TMS list separate from my teaching to-do list.  One time I made the mistake of putting them together and nearly had an anxiety attack, don’t do this!!!  Oh, and can we talk about how amazing it feels to cross things off of that baby, wooop wooop!

Last, I work through my recess breaks and I use my prep time wisely.  If I’m not doing supervision I am photocopying, answering e-mails, prepping lessons, correcting, cleaning, organizing, and the list goes on.  You will rarely see me in the staff room unless of course there are treats, lol. But seriously, this allows me to keep on top of my work load at school and in turn helps me to leave at a decent time.  Now remember, I have been teaching for 6 years now so I feel a lot more comfortable in my teaching and planning.  During my first few years it wasn’t unusual for me to put in a 12 hour day.  I have since learned to use my time more wisely creating more time for other stuff like this blog!

Well, there you have it! This is MY version of balancing two jobs, a home, a dog, and all the other good stuff that goes along with being a busy bee! Do I have moments where I feel like I can’t catch my breath or that I’m gonna loose it? Absolutely… don’t we all?!

Now, tell me your secrets?! How do you find balance in your life?

Sweater

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