Back IIN Balance with Beatrice Walker, Health Coach and Yoga Instructor

Beatrice Walker, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and RYT-200 certified yoga instructor, is passionate about helping others take care of their physical and mental well-being through healthy cooking, mindfulness, and intentional physical activity. After experiencing crippling anxiety for years, Beatrice realized that something needed to change ‒ which motivated her to pursue training in yoga and health coaching. Now she works with clients on transforming their health holistically, starting with building their confidence in their ability to make sustainable lifestyle changes.

We asked Beatrice for her best tips on how to get back in balance, whether you’re just starting out on your own wellness journey, you need motivation to continue on your path to better health, or you’re looking for guidance while going through a stressful time in your life. If any of this resonates with you, IIN’s got you covered! Read on to learn more from Beatrice and how you can get back in balance, right now!

What does “balance” mean to you, when it comes to your health and wellness routine?

For me, maintaining balance with my health and wellness is being extremely intentional and prioritizing self-care. I used to work in the corporate world, where the majority of my day was consumed with work and taking care of others, so I ended up neglecting myself and my overall health for a very long time.

What are some tools you use to get physically back in balance?

Meditation and yoga have helped me immensely with maintaining balance in my life. Anytime I’m feeling overwhelmed, I’ll do a meditation, breath work, or a short yoga session (sometimes all three), and I feel so much clearer. I appreciate these practices because they tap into every aspect of wellness for me, which is physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Being able to pause and reset helps me come back to center.

How do you find balance between work and life (that illusive “work-life balance”)?

I’ve found that setting boundaries is incredibly important for maintaining work-life balance. I used to say yes to pretty much everything I was asked, and looking back, I realize how unrealistic that was. I think we’re indoctrinated into believing that being busy, overworked, tired, and stressed equates to success, which really doesn’t make sense. You have to take care of yourself in order to give your best to others, and being able to say no and respect your own personal bandwidth for how much you can take on at one time is really important.

How do you support others (clients) in finding balance in their own lives?

I try to help clients, friends, and family members identify what areas in their lives might be off balance and why that is, and then focus on how to be intentional with creating change. In one of my favorite books by Michael A. Singer, The Untethered Soul, he talks about finding the middle way and compares life to a pendulum. You can’t have a healthy, happy life by living on opposite, extreme ends. This book has helped me understand what it means to live a balanced and centered life, and I gift it to clients and friends quite often.

If you had to pick one thing you couldn’t live without that supports your daily balance, what would it be?

Meditation, for sure. This was the first thing I learned about on my mental health journey, and it helps me manage my anxiety. It’s the foundation of my practice, which I was able to build upon, incorporating practices like breath work and yoga along the way. I meditate at least one or two times a day ‒ in the morning, as soon as I wake up, and then another time during the day or right before bed.

Learn more about Beatrice and her work, on her website and her Instagram page. If you’re interested in learning how you can get back in balance, with IIN’s Health Coach Training Program, check out a free sample class here.