Jeff’s Journal
By Jeff Whitaker
I don’t know about you, but I have a lot going on. Every day something new gets added to an already crowded calendar. From chores around the house, to family and work obligations; the list grows longer each day. Or at least it seems that way. At some point, I’m forced to prioritize what gets done now and what can wait. I’m willing to bet your life isn’t much different. Have you ever compared your hectic life to the art of juggling? I’m reminded of the routine on the old Ed Sullivan Show where the juggler would try to balance spinning plates on the top of a stick, juggling fire sticks and we’d all watch, wondering how it all kept in motion. One misstep and it all crashes down.
It made me think. Maybe some of the principles that apply to juggling can also apply to how you and I can best approach the whirlwind of life. Here’s what I discovered.
1. The first step in learning to juggle is to become comfortable with what you are juggling. It might be a tennis ball or perhaps a bean bag. But the key is to become familiar with the object. I think likewise you and I have to be familiar and comfortable with what we have to juggle in our lives. We have to know what matters most; what is important in the immediate and what can wait.
2. The second step is practicing a rhythm that works until you get it right. We are going to drop a ball here and there. But we have to pick them up and try again until we get comfortable with the rhythm and pacing. It’s really the same with you and me when it comes to life challenges. We have to be in tune with our own rhythm and what works for us. There is not a one size fits all answer. Everyone has a different rhythm.
3. The last key is developing an attitude of patience. Becoming comfortable with the object you’re juggling doesn’t happen overnight. Neither does developing the rhythm necessary to keep all the balls of life in the air at once.
Life isn’t meant to be one long, continual juggling act. But there are seasons where juggling is the only way to get from one stage to the next and if you drop a ball now and then, pick it up and start again. Embrace the “juggle” realizing it’s all part of the rhythm of life.
Jeff Whitaker is a veteran broadcaster here in South Jersey.. He now draws on his experience and training to work with companies and individuals to develop effective storytelling, communications and leadership skills. Find free resources and ways Jeff can work with you at jeffwhitaker.com
