Women’s Month: Sherlin Barends on her new TV chapter With Ons Gesels Balans

On weekdays, bubbly radio personality Sherlin Barends is the familiar voice bringing a smile to Kfm listeners’ faces each morning, even when they’re stuck in the worst of traffic. Now, the 36-year-old mother of twins is taking on a new challenge as the host of the third season of VIA’s Ons Gesels Balans.

No stranger to television, Sherlin first stepped into the spotlight in 2012 as part of Top Billing’s search for new presenters. Now, she’s taking over the reins from Katryn Kruger, bringing her own perspective to conversations around beauty, skincare, healthy living, exercise and, most importantly, finding balance in the everyday.

lifestyle

GLAMOUR Editor-in-Chief's letter to all women this Women's Month

As she steps into this new chapter, Sherlin opens up about motherhood, the importance of having a support system, personal growth and why sometimes finding balance can start with something as simple as taking a deep breath.

Why should people watch Ons gesels balans?

Life can get overwhelmingly busy so easily. Ons gesels balans isn’t just a lovely reminder to make balance a priority in your life – it also gives us the opportunity to learn more about the journey each week alongside our guests and viewers. Viewers can look forward to personal stories, practical demonstrations and honest conversations where authenticity matters far more than perfection. On top of that, it’s my first TV project since becoming a mom, which makes this series especially meaningful to me. The timing is perfect; it feels like everything has just clicked into place.

You’re someone who juggles a lot of balls at once. What’s your secret to finding and maintaining balance?

I can only live such a full life and take on so many different things because I have help. I don’t do everything myself, and I don’t want to either. I’m unbelievably grateful for my support network – my village – that makes it all possible for me.

What are the warning signs for you that someone has lost touch with their own sense of balance?

I know exactly what it looks and feels like for me when I start losing my own balance. It usually doesn’t happen overnight, which is why the road back to your best self won’t necessarily happen quickly either. My mom often asks: “How do you eat an elephant?” The answer is simple: one bite at a time. The same applies when you want to find balance again or improve your life. Be patient with yourself. Take it one day and one step at a time, truly listen to your body, and ask yourself: what does it need right now?

You believe that one should never stop growing and learning. What are you currently focusing on in your own personal growth?

Breathwork. I’ve temporarily put my studies through Breathwork Africa on hold, but I plan to continue next year. In the meantime, I still practice conscious breathing. Something special happens when we intentionally bring our attention to our breath. Viewers will get to discover this in one of the upcoming episodes too. My twins are currently potty training, and believe me, that requires a lot of patience and deep breaths! I’ve also learned that it’s easier for my toddlers to regulate their emotions when I’m calm and regulated myself. Sometimes – actually, often – balance simply starts with the way you breathe.

Who is your biggest inspiration today?

My parents inspire me every day. They’re both retired, but they still live such full and meaningful lives. I also draw inspiration from my younger self. That’s why I always keep a photo of myself as a five-year-old girl close by. It’s important to me that that little girl would be proud of me; that she pursues the things she longs for and because she is worthy of them. I want to create the life for us that she always dreamed of.

If you could invite anyone in the world as a guest on Ons gesels balans, who would it be and why?

American actress Tracee Ellis Ross (Girlfriends, Black-ish). She inspires me because she lives a balanced life defined on her own terms. There’s a quote of hers that I love to keep in mind: “I am learning every day to allow the space between where I am and where I want to be to inspire me and not terrify me.”I am truly grateful for where I find myself right now, but at the same time, I’m so excited about everything still to come.