The Wellness Wheel

When I was a kid my skateboard had hard, tiny wheels. If I hit a small pebble, the wheels would come to a screeching halt, and I'd go flying. I now ride a longboard with big, resilient wheels. I can hit some obstacles and keep moving.

It's useful to think about all the areas of your life as a wheel. Each spoke represents an area of your life that is important to you, such as health, finances, friends, and family. If each spoke has integrity, then you will have a smooth ride. You can also hit some obstacles, have resilience, and keep moving.

I have developed an activity called, "The Wellness Wheel". Imagine a wheel divided into eight spokes. Each section represents a life priority, for example, physical health, emotional health, service, fun, family, friendship, intellectual growth, and service. You shade in each area of the wheel according to your contentment with that area of your life. More shading is an indicator you are happy with your efforts in that area of your life. This creates a snapshot of your perceived wellness. If the wheel is unbalanced, it can help you focus on your priorities.

Here are a few observations:

You will hit obstacles in life. If you have enough resources in each of your vital areas, you can keep moving.

If you under-emphasize some key areas, your wheel will lose shape and create a bumpy ride.

If you push too hard in some areas and ignore others, the wheel itself might become the obstacle. For example, if you neglect your health, your wheel will stop spinning.

If you value something and it is consistently small on your wellness wheel, you need to ask, is this really a value? If it is, then how can you better prioritize it or get help?

If there is an area of your life that is out of balance, don’t hide. Unmute yourself and ask for help.

Allow a trusted coach, mentor, or friend to see your wellness wheel. Focus on incremental progress until you can get back in motion.