The Balance Beam From Success Builders Inc.

This is From The Balance Beam

[TheBalanceBeam] - Getting Your 65,000 Mile Check-Up

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THE BALANCE BEAM
Ideas and Inspiration for Creating a Life that Works
Vol. 2 No. 7 March 31, 2000
Published by Success Builders, Inc.
http://www.SuccessBuildersInc.com
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"He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened."
Lao-tzu
In this issue: GETTING YOUR 65,000 MILE CHECK-UP
====================================================================== Dear Friends:
I recently started shopping for a new car, so I have automobiles on the brain. Test driving a few models yesterday, I acknowledged that before I'll be ready to sign on the dotted line, I want to fall in love with the next vehicle I choose. So I started thinking about the tender loving care we give our cars, and what it might look like if we did the same thing for ourselves! Read on for tales from the service bay...!
If you want to check out earlier editions of The Balance Beam that you may have missed, you can easily retrieve them by clicking on http://www.successbuildersinc.com/newsletter.html and going to the Archives section. If you are not yet a regular subscriber to The Balance Beam, you can also enter your subscription information at this location.
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Today's Topic: GETTING YOUR 65,000 MILE CHECK-UP
The other day I got a notice in the mail telling me that it was time for my car's 65,000-mile service interval. The brochure from the dealership described all the features of the comprehensive treatment that go along with this package. Check this, rotate that, align such-and-such......it's like a day at the spa for my car.
So I got to thinking, wouldn't it be great if we humans gave ourselves periodic service treatments designed to keep us in top running order? Imagine taking yourself in for a complete body, mind and spirit overhaul, with a bunch of uniformed technicians attending to your every need. This is what the platinum level service package might look like:
1) Fill fluids to proper levels - Just as a car needs gas, water and antifreeze to run effectively, we humans need the right mix of fuel as well. Are you getting the nutrients you need from whole, fresh foods and plenty of good, clean water? Or are you depending on that Snickers bar to carry you through until dinnertime?
2) Rotate your tires - It's easy to get into a rut and wind up with uneven tread wear. We all need new challenges and new perspectives. So vary your routine: learn something new; volunteer your time; take a class; read a book you normally wouldn't select; take the road less traveled.
3) Tune-up your engine - Are you firing on all cylinders? Huge numbers of people walk around in a constant state of fatigue and sleep deprivation. The average adult needs seven to eight hours of sleep per night, yet they often get only five or six. It's hard to deliver top-flight performance when your spark plugs are worn out.
4) Check your power steering - What direction are you headed in with your life? What's next for you? If you tried to operate your car without steering in a certain direction, you might, if you were lucky, last for about five seconds before crashing into something. As the old saying goes, if you don't know where you're going, how will you know when you get there?
5) Adjust your tire pressure - What are the sources of pressure in your life? While too much pressure or stress is bad for us, too little pressure can be problematic as well. For most folks, there is an optimum stress level that enhances performance and keeps them sharp, while avoiding the negative effects of too much stress. Be sensitive to the signs that too much pressure is building up in your life - or that there's not enough stimulation to keep you crisp.
6) Inspect brake pads and shoes for wear - Are you stopping when you need to stop? Saying "no" when your platter is full? With the pace of modern life, it's easy to forget how to slow down when you need to. Remember to take a break and downshift when things get crazy. It might just keep you from hitting a wall.
7) Align your front end - Have you noticed your life pulling more to one side lately? Like the work side? It's easy to become unbalanced and neglect the other significant aspects of your life. Consider all the areas that are truly important to you: family, friends, personal development, spirituality, recreation, health and fitness, financial matters, and yes, work. Now, consider where you spend most of your time. Is there a disconnect? Align your activities with the things that truly matter to you.
8) Balance your wheels - This step goes hand in hand with the one above. When your life's wheels are out of balance, they prevent you from experiencing a smooth ride. Rather than aiming for a contrived simplicity, acknowledge that life is very, very full, and that at any moment in time, you will have a lot of things going on. The key is to take yourself lightly, put things in perspective, and laugh at your own foibles and imperfections. Find serenity in the bumpiness of the road, for that is what life is about.
And now, for the finishing touch. Just imagine, at the end of this daylong diagnostic and service package, they take you through the car wash. They give you a luxury bath and shampoo, vacuum your mats, shine you up, and polish your windshield. And there you go - a gleaming exterior to match the well-oiled machine inside.
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Words to live by:
"On the road again...I just can't wait to get on the road again..."
- Willie Nelson

"Baby, you can drive my car. Yes, I'm gonna be a star..."
- John Lennon and Paul McCartney
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Upcoming Events:
For those of you in the Greenville, South Carolina area, I will be delivering the keynote presentation for the upcoming annual fundraiser auctionfest for the Association of Women in Communication. The topic? "How to Work Less and Make More of Your Life!" Join us on April 25, 2000, at the Palmetto Exposition Center in Greenville. For details, please visit www.awcgreenville.org.