Congratulations on reaching the end of the book! This is where your wellness journey begins. I sincerely hope you have initiated some of the mindful practices on the pages of this book and are feeling the benefits already. I hope you will dip back into the book regularly to refresh your memory. Once you adopt your preferred practices as long-term habits, I guarantee you will benefit greatly for the rest of your life.

My hope is that—whether you're feeling burnt out or not—this book has motivated you to seek to live a balanced life for the long term. Too often, I hear people say that they have listened to an inspiring talk, or been to an educational seminar or an amazing workshop, or read a great book that motivated them to make positive changes in their lives. They scribble down some notes, convert the notes into a document and store it safely on their laptop in a file labelled ‘Personal Development’. Two weeks pass, and they forget all about it and go back to their old habits again. Please don't let that be you after reading this book. Keep it within reach in your workplace or your home. Write in it. Dog-ear the pages. Make it your own.

I know I've given you a lot to digest, so here is a summary of all the life lessons in one list:

• Self-awareness. This precedes everything. When you develop your self-awareness you become more mindful of your inner and outer environments. You can prevent burnout with awareness by realising what you are experiencing, assessing the situation and taking positive, decisive action in the moment.
• Burnout and self-care. The self-care practices that keep you healthy and balanced are the same ones that lead to burnout when neglected. Through self-awareness and improving your self-care you can be more attuned to your body's needs and more proactive towards your health and wellbeing.
• Stress and resilience. The stress response is only designed for short-term stimulus, which is helpful in a threatening or challenging situation. However, to maintain balance we need to learn to deactivate it when it's not needed and initiate the relaxation response more regularly.
• Self-regulation. The ability to self-regulate gives you the choice to create the space to mindfully choose your response in any given situation rather than simply reacting. Pause, breathe, create space and respond mindfully instead of reactively.
• Overwhelm and anxiety. Remember that you are not your thoughts. Overwhelm, worry and anxiety are often created in your mind. Instead of worrying about all of the future ‘what if’ scenarios that may or may not happen, choose to focus on ‘what is’ happening in the present moment. Catch stress in the early stages before it manifests to overwhelm and creates further anxiety.
• Fear and trust. On the other side of fear there is trust. Turn towards your fear and trust that you will always have the resources you need to get through any situation, no matter how difficult.
• Purpose and perseverance. When you align with your purpose and vision you can stay motivated and energised to persevere towards your goals, no matter how challenging life gets.
• Gratitude and compassion. Never take things for granted. Focus on being grateful for what you have, not what you don't have. Small acts of kindness, compassion and gratitude can positively change your world, and that of others too. The power of gratitude rests in your ability to positively change the way you view the world.
• Balance. We find balance if we give ourselves permission to slow down. After periods of stress or busy-ness, find rest and create space to renew your energy. A happy life is all about balance.

Well there you have it! You have come so far by reading this book and learning the life lessons and practices I write about. Continue your wellness journey by implementing mindfulness in your life using my practical tips to better manage stress, build resilience, stay energised and maintain wellbeing. You have all the tools and resources inside of you. You just need to bring them out when you need them. Continually draw on the techniques and practices from this book as they will serve you well for years to come.

Here's to beating burnout, finding balance and living more meaningfully!