Wheel of Life

Monday, January 10, 2011

The Wheel of Life gives you a vivid representation of the way your life is currently, compared to the way you'd ideally like it to be. It is called the "wheel of life" because each area of your life is mapped in a circle, like the spoke of a wheel. The Wheel of Life helps you consider each area of your life in turn and assess what's off balance. Each "spoke" is important because it represents one of the core aspects of every human being: mind, body, and spirit. When we find balance in all areas of life, then we can truly experience the peace of God.

Now may the peace of God make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. I Thessalonians 5:23

View and print the Wheel of Life by clicking on the following link:
https://acrobat.com/#d=rK08lJ7SEd5VGZO6U9dasA

Do the following exercise to determine how balanced your life is. Find a starting place and ask yourself these questions.
How satisfied am I in this area of my life?
Are my activities in this area fulfilling?
Rank the aspect on a scale between 1 and 10.
"1" means you are not at all satisfied or fulfilled in this aspect.
"10" means you are satisfied or fulfilled in this aspect.
Place a dot on the line corresponding to each aspect. "1" is at the center of the circle. "10" is on the outer fringe of the circle.

Follow the same procedure for each "spoke." When you have marked each "spoke," draw a circle by connecting each dot.

How does your wheel look? Is it a balanced wheel? If your wheel were on a bike, how would it ride? Would it be wobbly or smooth?

The goal is to bring all the areas to about the same level, so it is in balance.

Which "spoke" needs some attention to reduce wobbling?

There are a lot of considerations when we start to balance our lives.

• figure out what is NOT working.
• determine how it got that way.
• work on how to fix it.

Developing a balanced life is a process that takes PLANING and INTENTIONAL living. Learn the power of one. To get started, select one area that is out of balance and decide on one intentional act to move your toward your goal of balanced living. For example, if you're out of balance in the "contribution" aspect, select one act of kindness to perform this week. If you're out of balance in the "friends" aspect, invite someone special to lunch next week.

God wants us to live a balanced life and will show us how to live abundantly if we let him be our guide!

Let you moderation be known to all men. Philippians 4:5a.

Balanced Wheels

Monday, January 3, 2011

Have you ever driven a car when the wheels were out of balance? A clue that you have a balance problem is vibration. In fact, when my wheels were out of balance, the car vibrated so much, I thought the tires were going to fall off! It was hard to steer the car and keep it going toward my destination. It’s good to know some symptoms of a wheel that is out of balance:
• Vibration in the steering wheel when the car reaches certain speeds.
• Vibrations in the seat or floorboard at certain speeds.
• Wear patterns on the tires.

When wheels are balanced, the tires and wheels spin without causing any vibrations. To balance the wheels, mechanics check for heavy spots on the tire and place measured lead weight on the opposite (balanced) side of the heavy spot.

Do you ever feel so out of balance that your wheels are going to fall off? We experience vibrations of another sort. If a "spoke" of your wheel of life is out of balance, you'll have a hard time reaching your God-given destination. What are the symptoms of a life out of balance?

Are you too busy?
Have you put off planning for your future?
Do you struggle with time management?
Are you battling stress?
Do you suffer from low self-esteem?
Do you have a sense of hopelessness or despair?
Are your finances out of control?
Have you given up on developing your mind or intellect?
Are you living without the benefit of friends and community?
Is your health affected by bad choices?
Is your prayer or devotional life shallow?
Are you suffering from lack of intimacy in any of your relationships?
Have you gone for an extended time without a vacation?
Have you forgotten to take time to “smell the roses?”
Are you underutilizing your potential?
Are you overindulging in any area (eating, spending, etc.)?
Are you ignoring good nutritional or fitness practices?
Have you given in to worry?
Have you failed to contribute to others through service, volunteering, or financial donations?
Are you more consumed with self than others?
Have you left prayer, meditation, and Bible reading out of your daily practice?

If you answer yes to any of the following questions, your have a "spoke" out of balance.
Developing a balanced life is a process that takes planning and intentional living. To get started, use the power of one. Select one area that is out of balance and decide on one intentional action to move you toward your goal of balanced living. If you’re out of balance in the area of “contribution,” select one act of kindness to perform this week. If you’ve neglected your devotional life, make a plan to read one meditation each day.

God wants us to live a balanced life and will show us how to live abundantly if we let him be our guide.

Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.
I Thessalonians 5:23

Finding Balance in 2011

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

There’s something exciting about a new year and a new start. Each year during the final week of December, I take stock of what I accomplished that year. I begin to think about all the possibilities for the coming year, the new opportunities to grow. I imagine the wonderful adventures ahead: new friends, new books to read, new roads to travel, new things to learn, and a new grandbaby!

For the last few years I’ve chosen a theme for the year. One year I focused on happiness; last year I focused on positive thinking. I read books and articles, taught classes about the themes, and tried to incorporate new theme-based practices into my everyday living. This year I’ve chosen to be intentional about balance – balance of mind, body, and spirit.

Let your moderation be known unto all men. Philippians 4:5a

This definition of balance helps explain my goal: “an imagined device for assessing events, actions, and motives in relation to each other” (Word Dictionary). This year I’ll be assessing the “events, actions, and motives” of my mind and body in relation to my spiritual life.

Mind, body, and spirit are so interconnected that if any one of the three is out of balance, the other two suffer. When we are balanced in all three areas, we find wholeness and wellness that Christ desires for us. In the center of balance is peace.

Body
It is through our body that we function in the world. "The human body is the best picture of the human soul" (Ludwig Wittgenstein Philosophical Investigations). Our bodies need rest, movement, and nutrition in order to function properly.
Am I taking care of my body with good nutrition, daily exercise, and adequate rest?
What changes do I need to make in order to live at an optimal level?
Balance: Rest Movement Nutrition

Mind
It is our soul (mind) that gives us our personality and helps us to live in relationship with God, other people, and ourselves. Our soul likely has three components: our mind, our will, and our emotions. Since the mind and body communicate constantly, it’s important to keep them both healthy. Our minds are always busy and ready to learn new things.
Am I keeping my mind battery charged with positive thoughts? Am I overcoming stress, beating boredom, and achieving creativity?
In the coming year what can I do to make my thoughts, attitudes, and actions more Christ-like?
Balance: Mind Will Emotions

Spirit
It is in our spirit that we find meaning and purpose. Our spirit enables us to love ourselves, one another, and God. By incorporating spiritual practices such as prayer, Bible study, worship, discipleship, and fellowship, into our lives, we can develop a healthy spirit.
Am I devoting significant time each day to spiritual practices?
Is there balance in my worship (hands up) and ministry (hands out)?
Do I dwell in love and harmony with God, others, and self?
What changes do I need to make in order to allow the Holy Spirit to guide my spirit?
Balance: Spiritual Practices Ministry Relationships

A balanced mind, body, and spirit is essential to healthy living. Some people are in good physical shape but are malnourished in their soul because their minds are filled with negativity or hate. Some people have healthy minds but are depraved in their spirit for lack of prayer, Bible study, or worship. We need to stay balanced in all areas in order to experience wholeness and peace that Christ desires for us.
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Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. I Thessalonians 5:23

Let’s make a commitment to live a balanced life in 2011 so that we can be sanctified by the God of peace!

2011 Mission Statement: To glorify God and edify others through intentional and balanced living.

Gears

Friday, January 16, 2009

If you think of your body as a car, which gear do you spend the most time in? Dr. Richard Swenson writes in his book Margins that the healthiest lifestyle comes equipped with four gears: park, low, drive, and overdrive.

Park – This gear is for meditative times when we need to rest and recharge our batteries. In this gear we spend time reflecting on our values and our faith or when we pray and study the Bible. I’m in this gear when I read a book for sheer pleasure or take a yoga class or read my morning devotion.

Low – This gear is for our relationships with family and friends. We use this gear when we read to our children or enjoy a cup of coffee (green tea, in my case) with a friend. We’re in this gear when we console a friend or share a funny story. We need periods in our life when we slow down enough to give and receive support from those we love.

Drive – We use this gear for work and play. We use lots of energy and are at our most productive when we’re in drive. This gear gets us places. I’m in drive when I power walk or work with a leadership team on a project.

Overdrive - We go into overdrive when we need extra energy like when we’re trying to meet a deadline. Athletes use this gear in sporting events. We’re overdrive when we attempt to multi-task. Like many of you, I stayed in this gear during much of the hectic holiday season.
Sadly, many of us stay in overdrive never slowing down to shift into other gears. Neither our cars nor our bodies are designed to run continually at break neck speeds. Just as our cars run down or overheat, out bodies will too if we don’t take time to slow down. Our minds and bodies will become tired, weary, and burdened if we don’t find balance. Jesus tells in Matthew 11:28-30 to go to him when we are weary.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

For our body, mind, and spirit to work together in harmony and balance, we may need to adjust our gears. Which gear do you need to work on?