One of the challenges within personal growth is how to decide which part of ourselves to focus on. There are only so many hours in a single day; there are a finite number of actions we can take. I believe there is always one area of our lives that demands more attention and action than others. It is up to us to listen and learn which one it is, at any given time. I believe that the moment we begin to restore balance in our lives, by focusing on what we need to focus on, this balance will surface everywhere.

The wheel of purpose is divided into six sections: physical health, emotional health, spirit, relationships, work, and play. Take a piece of paper and make a list of each of the six sections. For seven days, keep track of each of the actions you take, per section. For example, exercise, cooking, and cleaning count as acts toward physical health. A walk in a beautiful place counts as an act of spirituality and meditation. Calling an old friend is an act of relationship. You may find that some actions count toward multiple sections. You may also find that you notice that one of the sections lacks in actions at the end of the week. Perhaps your regular actions fulfill most sections, except play. Perhaps you notice that you enjoy most sections of your life, except work. The purpose of this exercise is to collect information about yourself and to turn the information into insight you can apply to your life. Try it for a week. You’ll be surprised at what you learn.