In my ‘Self Mastery’ trainings I teach the importance of a balanced life for success of happiness. It is important to have a balance in caring for our being, body, brain, people, time and money and growing all these areas simultaneously. While I was sharing this good advice at my trainings and practicing them to a great extent, I always felt there was more room for improvement.

I always believe we get the required knowledge and inspiration when we are open to it. I was fortunate to meet up with a friend of mine Nalaka Hewamadduma who had migrated to Canada, when he made a visit to Sri Lanka many months ago. He gifted me a copy of his new book ‘Art of Well-being’ when we met.

Nalaka and I had many things in common and we were both interested in enhancing human performance. While Nalaka helped people to become successful using eastern philosophies such as yoga and other wellness methods, I used more western leadership and self-mastery philosophies, Neuro Linguistic programming and Transformational learning.

Nalaka’s book is well written. It is easy to read due to his story approach and the descriptions are practical and inspiring. While I was following exercise, rest and nutritional habits, the big take away for me was how to adjust our lives to be in sync with the universal energy system. This was not a new concept to me but Nalaka’s book helped me discover a simple method of putting it in to practice and reminded me of the importance of it.

After reading the book, I have adjusted my life. My typical day starts the previous evening. If we don’t start preparing for the day the previous evening it becomes challenging to follow the ‘Art of Living’. I have dinner at 7.30 pm, a yoghurt around 10.00 pm and sleep around 10.30 to 11 pm.  I then wake up at 5.30 am and do 20 mts. mediation and 20 mts. of Yoga.  After catching up on any urgent work I may have, I have breakfast at 7.00 am. I would have some fruits around 10.30 and lunch before 1 pm. Thereafter I would have biscuits or a light snack at around 4 pm and I do exercises for the joints [as prescribed by Nalaka], light weights or aerobic exercises around 6 p.m. These timings get stretched sometimes when I travel or when I have evening social events that are unavoidable, but it is becoming a way of life.

I do also use the breathing exercises and dietary guidelines given by Nalaka and this new art of living has helped me to be more energetic during the day and enjoy well-being. I have also reduced my weight by around 10 Kg’s during this period of about 1 year. Therefore I have experienced the benefits of the ‘Art of Well-being and I intend continuing this.

These tools are powerful and they will work, if we make them work. It takes some self-discipline, determination and sacrifice but the rewards are well worth the labour.