Balancing The Spokes of Life

I think we all come to a point where we realize balance is essential in our life especially now, during this time of shelter-in-place (SIP) and the natural self-assessment that comes with physical/social isolation. But just because we strive for balance and self-awareness, doesn’t mean we attain them. As with anything worth achieving, it takes hard work, consistency, and patience.

 A few years ago, I was asked what my go-to life analogy is . . . professional or personal. It has to do with our bicycle, more specifically, our bicycle wheel. What if we looked at the elements of our life as spokes on a bicycle wheel.

Boy on bike in Kenya, 2018 by Kailani Joy

One spoke could be our health, another our relationships, finances, spirituality, career, passion projects - the list could go on and the spokes could be endless, given you have enough time to tend to them all. That’s the key.

Time & Attention

If you’re in the market for balance right now, try attaching a life element to each spoke on your life wheel. Then work each day to consistently check in and assess how much time and attention you’re giving each spoke. The more time we dedicate to an aspect of our life, the stronger or longer that spoke gets. Just the same, the less time we give something, the weaker or shorter the spoke becomes. When one spoke is shorter than the others, what happens to our wheel.

“Want to see what someone values... check their calendar and bank statements each month.”

When our spokes are uneven and not getting enough of our attention, our wheel is off-balance. When our wheel is off-balance, our bike doesn’t roll right — and we wobble.

This analogy is a simple way to check in with what matters most in our lives, on a daily basis. I like to wake up each morning, express gratitude for being alive, and do a quick run through of my life spokes. When I don’t spend enough time on one aspect of my life, I certainly feel the impact that ‘shorter spoke’ has on my life experience as a whole. At times (especially now with a new baby), I don’t put enough energy into my passion projects, not nourishing my creativity, and I certainly feel the void.

Gaining Alignment

I think we can all get a pretty intense wobble when we’re not mindful of where our focus is. Wobbles can be anger, stress, withdrawal, depression, frustration, sadness and a myriad of other emotions. Emotions are a signal a sign on the road you are biking down… to pay attention to this area of your life. So, let’s check in.

1. What are the values or aspects of your life that are most important to you and your overall happiness?

2. How much time and attention are you giving to each area?

3. Can you balance some out to make sure your spokes are even and your bike’s steady?

Sometimes it takes others in our lives to help us see the ‘blindspots’ and signs we can not always see ourselves. For these areas, support from family, friends, partners, coaches and community can be incredibly helpful to attaining balance. The more aware we become, the quicker our reaction time becomes to adjust when we feel off-balance. As with all attempts for growth, and especially now in this time of immense uncertainty and change, stay compassionate with yourself and remember we’re all just a work in progress. But keep growing, my friends. That’s the best way to make our world an interesting place for all of us to live in.

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Post by contributor: Kailani Joy

Kailani has provided marketing and communications support for companies from London to San Francisco for over a decade. She prides herself on helping brands enjoy sharing their story. With each project, she looks to uphold her values of supporting local businesses, contributing positively to the global community, and empowering clients towards both personal and environmental sustainability. Through each client, cause, and connection, she is striving to leave this place a little more loved, more open-minded, and more aware of how best to communicate with one another.

kailanijoy.com for inspirational insights on life balance, wellness, and love

inspiritglobal.com to connect with a marketer

inspiritglobal.org to connect with a cause

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ZEN Hustlers is a collaborative ‘communitas’ that strives to support entrepreneurs, founders and professionals to attain balance on the edge. We welcome contributions that offer insights into this world from the people living it daily. Please contact us with a blog topic or written post for consideration. Onwards.