Part 1: Finding Balance

            Life often feels like a roller coaster with its slow climbs and fast drops. We dread Mondays and can’t wait until Fridays. Summer feels too hot and winter feels too cold. Road construction seems to be ongoing with the accompanying bumps and detours and unexpected waits.
            Being human is also unpredictable. We “get up on the wrong side of the bed” and everything seems to go wrong for no obvious reason. Or we have a “bad hair day,” which is not only a bad day, but one that is characterized by our hair being particularly unmanageable. There is also an “ebb and flow” in our relationships and just when we figure out a new way of approaching them, the dynamic changes again.
            Sometimes when life feels especially difficult, it’s as if a rug has been unexpectedly pulled out from under us. We flail our arms so we don’t completely lose our balance, but occasionally we do fall down on our back side. This momentarily knocks the wind out of us and causes us to look around and wonder how or why it happened. Or maybe we’re experiencing a type of storm in our lives with rain pouring down and the wind threatening to blow us over. During those difficult times, it may feel as if the ocean waves crash over us faster than we can prepare for or recover from. It feels increasingly difficult to catch our breath and our muscles feel weak from trying to stay afloat. Then, when we do survive, we worry about when “the other shoe will drop.”
            Does any of that sound familiar? Many of those phrases are clichés, but there is a reason they are used so often. We are all in this human plight together. We can learn to “enjoy the journey” or cause unnecessary pain for ourselves and others by complaining that it’s not fair. We can easily fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to others and believing the “grass is greener on the other side.” The truth is, the grass is actually greener where you water it.
            I returned to college four years ago and three words have repeatedly caught my attention: homeostasis, equilibrium, and resilience. Homeostasis is defined as the tendency toward a relatively stable equilibrium between interdependent elements, especially as maintained by physiological processes. Equilibrium is defined as a state in which opposing forces or influences are balanced. Resilience is defined as the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape.
            I especially appreciate a second definition of resilience: the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. This is sometimes called emotional toughness, flexibility, or adaptability. It’s basically the ability to pick yourself up after you fall or to bounce back after you’ve survived a difficult experience. In addition, steadiness and stability are synonyms for equilibrium.
            I often wish I had developed a little more flexibility, adaptability, and steadiness over my lifetime. The first section of my book will be about learning to develop those skills.

Introduction

I chose the title of this blog partially because my first name is Wendi. So the word "wend" is basically my name, minus the last letter. :)

I also chose this phrase because I feel that life is a journey and I would like to use this blog as a place to chronicle my progress.

Earlier in my journey, I spent much of my time walking and visiting with women throughout Utah County. At one point, I created cards with the phrase "Walking with Wendi" on them.

Here is a picture of me wearing my favorite walking shoes on the front with part of the text on the back:

They aren't business cards. They are just "what I do" cards. I handed them out to friends as a reminder of my commitment to walking and talking with women.

I have experienced depression and anxiety off and on for most of my life. I was also diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in January 2013. Walking has helped me deal with those health issues in a productive way over the past nine years.

I have also spent the last four years taking classes off and on at Utah Valley University. I will finish my associate degree within the next month and then I will begin the next phase of my journey.

Our daughter is having a baby and her due date is in mid-January. This will be our first grandchild and I will babysit him while his mom finishes her degree at UVU over the next couple of years.

I have been encouraged by many people over the past few years to write a book about my experiences. That feels like a daunting, almost insurmountable, task. So I thought I would practice by posting some of my writing on this blog.