The Italian scientist Galileo first noted (c.1583) the constancy of a pendulum’s period by comparing the movement of a swinging lamp in a Pisa cathedral with his pulse rate. The Dutch mathematician and scientist Christiaan Huygens invented a clock controlled by the motion of a pendulum in 1656. according to https://www.britannica.com/technology/pendulum
Since then, pendulums have been used as a analogy in people’s lives moving from one extreme to another. This comparrison can be used for the way you act, the habits you have, how you treat people and what you are focused on.
From my experience I started the pendulum as a little girl needing everything done for me and taking from everyone else and growing up poor. My pendulum swung to wealth as I competed for the top spot in the country in the top 20 producers for Fortune 500 company’s Finance & Insurance manager income when I was in my early 20’s.
I realized I wanted to settle down and swung my pendulum to corporate America where you get a salary, a certain number of days off, and volunteer hours. I also was having a hard time with my parents and siblings and no matter how much I gave them I was always left unsatisfied. So I decided to volunteer and get involved in the community. I gave and gave and gave until I had no more time to give. One of my proudest moments was being in a room with over 100 people recognize my efforts and gave me a standing ovation when I won a diversity and volunteering award. Still that wasn’t enough.
I leaned in to my new nucleus of a family focusing on my marriage and two small children and my church. I still felt something was missing.
I started my own business and leaned into that for 7 years, yet my health, family and friend relationships suffered as a result. I focused on giving to my clients, senior citizens. I gave my time effort and energy until I was pulled so thin I could no longer do it myself.
This is the whole reason I started this blog. The 5 F’s are to help you focus on a balanced life. It is easy to focus on one thing at a time but other things naturally will be lacking as a result. You are not alone and we are all in this together. So no matter what it takes, even if you have to put it on your calendar, make time to focus on the different areas of your life; Faith, Family, Fitness, Finance & Friends.
There is a long term and short term part to this. Recognize what you are excelling at and give yourself credit. Then plan for a strategy on how you can improve the other. For example, if you are great at balancing your checkbook each month, but you are in a job you hate. Give yourself a pat on the back for managing your short term finances and develop a way to explore income streams that make you feel more fulfilled. Like trying a networking groups, having coffee with new people, meditating or journaling about what you are passionate about or good at.
It will never be perfect, but put in the effort and you will feel better. The biggest takeaway should be that when you feel the pendulum is at it’s furthest and something needs to be done, don’t take that as a failure of your life and like there is nowhere else to go. You have a purpose and you matter.
The pendulum is there to help you balance time, like it was originally invented for. So when you feel like a change is needed, keep all of your senses open and receptive to signals showing you what your next move should be.
Here is to your happiness, your health and your journey!
5Fs 