The Wobble Board of Life

In continuing to think about 2019 with its resolutions, intentions and commitments I realized that I always believed that these actions were one and done issues. January 1: decide to lose 10 pounds and maybe even hit the gym more, buy a new cookbook, shop at Whole Foods for organic produce, etc. And then the first temptation arrives (“wanna go grab a margarita and wings?”) and my resolution/intention was out the window. My self talk was something along the lines of “OK, I screwed up, so forget it. I’m OK carrying around this extra weight. Maybe next year.”

As my old friend (well, he’s not old….just a friend of many years) Jim Bearden would wisely say, “If the choice didn’t work out for the good, choose again.” Somehow just recently, this really hit home. My stubbornness (aka my ego) always says that I should choose and then stick to it otherwise, I’m failing. Dying on that sword is a HUGE mistake. Life is about choices, yes I know that. But the reality that choosing happens over and over and over and over and over again. Hundreds if not thousands of times a day. Just like the wobble board in the gym.

The wobble board is that wooden circular gizmo with a semi-sphere attached to the bottom-round side down. The circular top board is wide enough for two feet to stand on it hip distance apart. Once you have stabilized yourself on it, of course, you begin to wobble. To the right….then re-stabilize….to the left….then stabilize again. Quickly, suddenly, perpetually. Just the minute you think you are stable and not wobbling, a little shift in the body happens and the wobble occurs again.

Life is just like this wobble board. We are up on top ready to stand still and straight and tall. Then something throws us off balance. We have made a choice of some sort which can be big (leave a job, leave a relationship, move.) Then the wobble starts. We continue wobbling until we are stable.

Or the choice could be small. Choose to take a different route to work, look to the left when we could have looked right, buy a blue car instead of red, etc. But the wobble can start again.

When we make a choice that doesn’t work out well, the wobble can really commence. But all we have to do is choose again. We say an inappropriate thing, we forget a commitment we have made. The trick is JUST LIKE THE WOBBBLE BOARD…..choose again, stabilize again. As humans we have been created to live in a world of choice.

If it aint working, wobble a little then choose again. That’s this wonderful life we lead.