Got the High Speed Wobbles?

Did you ever notice that at certain speeds, the front end of your car can start to shimmy and shake? Well, the same thing can happen to human beings – we can get the “high speed wobbles.” Sometimes we run out of fuel, sometimes we hit a bump in the road, sometimes we’re hit by something unexpected, or sometimes it’s a result of too much time passing without any maintenance – we’re exhausted (the state of too much exhaust?).

When it happens to our cars, we take them in for a tune up or to have the wheels realigned or balanced; and if we don’t do it, it starts to feel like the wheels are coming off and then we can even get the “low speed wobbles” - not good. Like our cars, we can give ourselves a wash and a wax and while we look presentable when we’re parked, we still run sluggish or our engines misfire when going uphill.

The cumulative pace of our busy lives can make finding time for maintenance, time for ourselves, seem like it’s at a premium. Just the daily demands of managing work and home can take everything we’ve got and introducing any new turns into our journey can feel overwhelming. Changes at home, changes at work, well, they will likely never stop – we need to understand this reality and plan for it – we need to take care of and care for our minds, bodies, and spirits.

We all have our individual ways of tuning up ourselves so that we run well and spend time on those things that are truly important to us. For some, it’s their hobbies, for some it’s time with family and friends, for some it’s sleeping in, for some it’s curling up with a book at their favorite bookstore. Whatever it is for you, find it, take the time or make the time and do it. The people and things that seem to demand so much of your time and attention will understand and will embrace a well-maintained you – they might even demand less and help you in your quest to find time for yourself.

So while you still should “drive it like it’s stolen,” remember that you need fuel (diet and exercise), you need alignment (goals and values), you need balance (work and home), and you need maintenance (rest and relaxation) – you’ll have a longer life and maintain your value, long after the warranty has expired and you’ve become a classic.