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More than an Instagram-worthy travel destination, Bali can provide the utmost clarity to your body, mind and soul

Bali is the ideal destination from Singapore and offers so much to every type of traveler. It is our family’s escape, and even though we enjoyed the bustling madness of London and peaceful drives through the Italian countryside this summer, there was an unexpected gift that Bali bestowed upon us that just cannot compare. I think Bali provides a kind of tranquility that can envelope you to connect with your mind, body and soul.

Bali provides a holistic way to live, and with my children and husband I felt like we did it all. We each found the mental space to think about our purpose on this earth, our intention towards the activities we embark on, the time to plan and prioritise what makes us happy and peace to make it all actionable. We were all present, mindful and focused on our family unit.

When I was looking for things to do with the kids this trip, I saw a tour for Instagrammable moments. Admittedly, while I love getting a nice shot, I don’t prioritise that over being in the moment. I don’t rotate outfits so you can’t tell we just lived in our swim suits all day. But the wonderful, beautiful moments I did capture were organic, authentic and not perfect at all.

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Bali For Your Body

Tatler Asia
Asian mother  and daughter meditating in lotus position in rainforest in Bali, Indonesia

One way to grow your mind, increase confidence and believe in yourself is simply to be brave. Lara, my 12-year-old, decided that for several days she would go out on the waves on the Seminyak beach near the Alila Hotel and learn to surf. She braved the cold water, and remarkably did so on her own with nobody else other than an instructor. She pushed her body and mind for an hour each morning. I marvelled at how she was determined to surf and try something new.

As a family, each morning we followed a yoga tutorial from YouTube finding the fun, frustration and beauty in just doing activities together. We didn’t need the best yoga instructor in Bali, we just needed to commit to doing it all together. When we walked along the beach during sunset, my husband Ashish would go up ahead, allowing himself minutes to clear his head, think about work, and have that mental space. We don’t always get that time to think when we are busy in our own lives and it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the routine of everyday life.

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Bali For Your Soul

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Above Photo: Shireena Shroff Manchharam
Tatler Asia
Above Photo: Shireena Shroff Manchharam

Yoga, beach walks, surfing, and swimming in the sea all felt great to the body, but what we also needed is to rejuvenate our souls. In between the serenity that Bali offers, we also went for sunset drinks to our favourite Ku De Ta, where we experienced the heart-thumping music, free-spirited crowd, and breathtaking sunsets with our children.

As they grow up, it feels wonderful to include them in the activities that we also wanted to do. On another day, we spent hours at Finns Beach Club, dancing on our daybed, eating sushi, swimming, enjoying the sunset and connecting as a family. We don’t need to live in a linear way, where we believe there is only one way to relax, but we need to be holistic and fill our glasses to the brim.

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Bali for Your Mind

Tatler Asia

Time feels like it moves a little slower in Bali. Just by being next to water and the sea and having time for myself without needing to nag my children to do their homework or rush to classes, it was where I uncovered a simple reality that is very personal to me. During the pandemic I was positive, sometimes overwhelmingly so, especially as a life coach and the creator of Getting To Happy. I was so relieved when we took our first flight out of Singapore and rejoiced when our little red dot started to ease restrictions. But what I never realised was that this invisible layer of Covid dust had settled over me.

I think over the last two years, my motivation, my ability to push forward, my drive to meet people and to get things done have slowed down. Initially, Covid-19 gave us the excuse to slow down and be more mindful, but I can’t kid myself that I did not start to morph this into a way of life.

With the peace that Bali offers, and the ability to think, I was able to shed and dust myself off. I felt this surge of urgency, to get things done, to not be afraid, to get out there. It felt wonderfully enlightening, and it was a feeling I have not had for a very long time.

The Bali Effect

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With a newfound clarity, I was so grateful for my seven days in Bali. We don’t need months in an ashram to get inspired or motivated. We just need the mental space to think.

I began to divide up my life into personal, health, business, home, family and friends. I made goals and set actionable steps to help me achieve them. I encouraged my kids to make their own lists. We felt so inspired that during our massages. We listened to podcasts by Rob Dial, and my kids heard my recent one with Young Women Leadership Connection too.

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I encouraged my kids to get massages as well—not as a form of indulgence, but as a form of mindfulness and stillness where they can think. How often do kids get 30 minutes where they aren’t distracted by something else? My children Lara and Arian also wrote articles each, spurred on by their thoughts of what is important to them. Lara’s feelings all came tumbling out in text about body shaming, while Arian wrote about kindness and how he feels the increased use of technology is what causes us to be less caring towards others.

There is no perfect holiday or even a perfect picture, but if we embrace life with ups and downs, and expect it to discombobulate us now and then, we will find the beauty in that too. If you feel you need a jolt in motivation, take a walk on the beach or go to the Botanical Gardens, or just your neighbourhood park. Dissect your life, dig deep to what drives you and makes you whole. Set some actionable, realistic goals, and see your glass start to fill up. 

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