52 Week Challenge - Wheel of life, part 2 - How I will do it!

A free week – thanks Deb (http://www.homelifesimplified.com.au/52-weeks-to-simplify-your-life-challenge/).  I appreciate the time to take in what we’ve been doing and to put into practice some of the things I have learnt.
 My wheel of life is out of shape and needs some attention and this week I’ve been thinking about how I can make the changes needed to get some balance in my life. 

My current wheel of life is:  Family 4, Me 3, Work 3, Peacefulness 3, Development 2, Spirituality 2, Health 1 and Home 1. The wheel of life I would like is 3 for everything.                              

I’ve been spending the last few years growing, learning about myself and devoting time to me. Not a bad thing actually something that was very important but in concentrating on me I let a few other areas in my life get out of control. The wheel of life reinforced what I have been feeling for a while and now is the time to bring some balance back, to right a few wrongs and to get back on track.

Looking back I’ve decided the best way forward is to take baby steps and keep the changes manageable.  Previous experiences have taught me that if I make too many changes I become overwhelmed and then give up totally. My plan is to look at each of my categories and decide what I need to make my life balanced – some may need less attention and some will need more attention. Some will be easy and some not so but a plan has been hatched.

Family – for me this is not only LOML and Merman but our immediate family. I am happy with most of the category, there are some things I’d like to do more especially contact with LOML’s family.  I don’t talk to them as much as I would like.  All of us live busy lives and finding a time to talk is difficult and with the art of letter writing definitely gone what I am going to do is every month send a message on Facebook to my sisters-in-law and nieces.  Just to say hello and to touch bases to find out what is happening in their lives.  A small amount effort is all that is needed.  This year I have started calling my Dad (he is in aged care and I’ve found if I talk to him each day thinks go easier), I will continue this – I will make the time to do it.
                As Merman is 15 years old he doesn’t need as much hands on care and I am able to redirect some of my time. This will be hard for me, not to be so involved with his life and to let him do things his way when he wants to do them but it is an important part of learning for him so I have to do it.

Addition:  Messages to family

            Deletion: Doing less for Merman
Me – this category needs a bit of work, I think it is time for me to stop concentrating so much on myself and to balance things out.  Don’t get me wrong Me time is very important but I think I do too much of it. I will do this by spending less time playing FB games and devote time to other things like – messages to family, health and writing.
            Addition:  not so much an addition but a re- direction of energy
            Deletion: Cutting back on the FB games
Work – I think I have this about right I don’t need to add or delete anything here.  When needed I put the extra effort in but I also know that I don’t need the next effort all the time.

Peacefulness – I spend a lot of time trying to have peace around me in both family and friends. I don’t think this is a bad thing but I do try too hard sometimes and I want to stop this. I actually put others ahead of my family and myself and I don’t think that is healthy all the time. So for peacefulness I want to concentrate on my own peacefulness, not to be caught up in making sure everyone else is ok that it is detrimental to me or my family.

           Addition: putting my family and myself first
           Deletion: Taking a step back and understanding that others aren’t always right
 Development – I read a lot of articles and am always doing things for my development.  This challenge is one of them and I am happy with this category. One thing I am looking at is to tertiary education.  I only completed year 10 and whilst I have a good job I think that to go further at work I need tertiary education.  I’m not sure what but I am looking around at the moment.

Addition: Tertiary education

Spirituality – for me this means a number of things, its not just religion. Its about what recharges your battery, its about what you need in your life.  For me it’s a number of things, its spending time with friends that rejuvenate you – that support you and allow  you to be all you can be. Its about your belief system whatever it is. For me its following a few sites on FB that help me to feel good about myself and that open me up to a new and exciting world.

Deletion:  There isn’t anything I would stop doing.

            Addition: I would like to spend more time looking into angels and more time with the friends that recharge my batteries especially more time with my walking and swimming partner.

Now for the two tough ones…………

Health – for too long I have neglected my health and this has to stop now. It will stop now.  I have already started to make changes but I really need to put more effort into my health and I am feeling better but I do go off track and I could be doing a lot better.

Deletion:  I need to cut back on the bubbles – not so many alcoholic drinks, far too many calories in a glass and I have far too many glasses in a week.

Addition:  Exercise, Exercise, Exercise – nothing more to it really I need to put the effort in.

Home – Ok time for the facing the truth – I am not a good housewife, I don’t like it and I don’t do it often.  I only clean when I know we are getting visitors.  I need to keep the house better. So from now on I will do some housework each night.

Addition:  Oh so many things that need to be added. But in the first instance I will do something each night – 20 minutes is all that it takes and 20 minutes is what it will be.  I will also ask for help from LOML and Merman.

            Deletion:  Putting everything before housework. 

 So there you have it my plan for getting my life back into balance.