Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ciji Townsend. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ciji, appreciate you joining us today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

Had I not reacted to my hair falling out in large clumps on the bathroom floor, I might still be a person who glorifies busyness.

There was a time in my life when I was busy doing all the right things. Busy planning special moments for my friends and family. Busy volunteering in the community. Busy pursuing professional aspirations. Busy trying new recipes. Busy at 6am Pure Barre classes. Busy doing all the things!

So busy that had I not had a life-changing moment, It’s highly likely I never would have slowed down to realize how my busyness was a dis-ease.

The day, I drove home from my doctor’s visit to determine what was going on with my hair was the same day, I became a radical advocate for rest. I was troubled by my diagnosis of stress and the negative impact on my body. I wanted to better understand how I contributed to my burnout and most of all, I wanted to see if the grass would be greener where I watered it. Not just for me, but also for society.

Balanced Not Busy – a lifestyle movement was born.

What started as a hashtag to highlight how I thought I was successfully navigating the life’s hustle and bustle and has evolved to a safe space for those who are sick of being crazy busy and want to embrace a confident calm.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I help people stop glorifying busyness.

As a recovering busy person and a radical advocate for rest, I know that the grass is only greener on the other side if you water it!

Since 2015, on social media the Balanced Not Busy community has been a safe space for go-getters to embrace practical solutions to navigate each of life’s seasons. I share thoughtful and intentional content showcasing the behind the scenes of my own being balanced journey as well as how you can build a toolbox with tools to live a balanced life.

“Aha moments” and meaningful conversations live on the Being Balanced podcast. As the host, I’ve had the pleasure to interview everyday people pursuing balance professionally, personally and purposefully for four seasons.

The most sacred space I hold is the time I spend as a keynote speaker. It’s in front of audiences from 50 to 5,000 that I can dig deep into the intersection of the science of well-being, the undeniable stats supporting the negative impacts of busyness and help those sitting on the edge of their seats start a practice of living balanced and not busy.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Authenticity and not just talking about being real, actually BEING real. I openly share on social media the days I’m killing it and the days I just gave up, didn’t use one tool in the toolbox and was super unproductive.

Because my business is built on research and the greatest teacher – life, as I evolve, so does my message. When I started Balanced Not Busy, I was single and living in New Orleans. Now I live in Atlanta, I’m married, a mom of two kids and life just looks different. I’m super proud of the way I support people. I focus on building and adding new ways to navigate life’s busiest moments. Yes, I’m now a mom, but the message is still relevant for those who aren’t in a season of motherhood.

I also keep it light! The rapid popularity of social media birthed a lot of “experts” and some times the message is so deep or broad it’s not relatable. I check myself when I feel “too deep” and am intentional with focusing on the big picture and why it matters.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I’m a lifelong learner, so brace yourself for my list of the best books to read!

* The Five Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace
* The Alchemist
* Life Entrepreneurs
* More Than Enough
* Start with Why
* What Got You Here Won’t Get You There
* Good to Great

Contact Info:

• Website: www.balancdnotbusy.com
• Instagram: @balancednotbusy
• Facebook: facebook.com/balancednotbusy
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cijitownsend/