Not that long ago I was spending most of my time in my office, hunched over my desk, writing furiously, dealing with paperwork, and wondering why the phone wasn't ringing. It always seems that way in the winter months, when speaking engagements are not so plentiful, the days are cold and short, and moods are low due to the lack of sunlight. I was like a ship with limp sails - no current, no wind; dead in the water. Suddenly though, as spring burst forth (thankfully early this year), my energy levels began to increase and I felt like going outside! With renewed zest and enthusiasm, I returned to more active marketing and "putting myself out there", and, "presto"! The tide began to turn.
Now as I am in the throes of my "busy season", I continually marvel at how easy it is to go from the speed of Zero to 60 in just a short matter of time. I'm learning that one can never get too comfortable behind the wheel of life, because when you least expect it, you may have to shift gears and adjust to keep up with traffic. Of course, there are times when we may have to stay in the passing lane and drive a little harder in order to get where we're going, but it's perfectly fine to slip over to the slow lane and let the other "drivers" pass you by. Every once in a while, it is also beneficial to take the scenic route so that you can enjoy the journey and make the trip from A to B less stressful.
I have learned that while life in the fast lane can be wildly exciting, we can't always stay there. Nor can we stay parked at the rest stop indefinitely - should we do that, we would never reach our destination. Just as it is required for real world driving, BALANCE is key as we travel the road of life.
Recently at the NATCON 2010 Conference, a presenter told of how the natives of the Polynesian Islands mapped out the world around them, "The HoKule'a (ship) never moves. It simply waits; the axis mundi of the world, as the islands rise out of the sea to greet her." (from The Way Finder) Every so often, it is wise to shift gears; to become like the HoKule'a and wait patiently as the objects of our desired destination rise out of the sea to greet us.
