Read time: 4 minutes
Good morning, 66.1ers.
Took my 2006 4Runner to the shop the other day to get an alignment.
Then, because that’s how my brain works, I got to thinking about how this particular service is a nice metaphor for life. Before we start, probably useful to understand what an alignment is? It’s the thing they do after changing suspension, steering, and wheel/tire parts to make sure your tires are in contact with the road and wearing evenly. If your vehicle isn’t aligned, you wear through your tires faster than you would otherwise. Get it right, and you get the most life you can out of your tires.
Thanks only to luck, my vehicle was pretty well aligned without the mechanic having to do anything.
Made me think about alignment across your entire life? Spouse, work, health, where you’re living? I think that, in a sentence, alignment can be measured by the distance between what you say you want for yourself and how your life actually looks.
Are you spending your days working on something that you believe in? Something that’s going to take you toward your long-term lifestyle, financial, family goals? And the consequences of doing work that’s not aligned with your values? Might be mental health. Might be financial. Might be your spouse wondering when you’re finally going to start working on the thing you really care about?
Speaking of spouse! Or “spouse candidate” if you’re not married. Are you investing into that relationship as regularly and intentionally as you’re investing into your retirement? If not, why not? Where does your current behavior pattern, projected out over the next 20 years, land you? Best relationship ever? Divorce? Something else?
And another: George Mack would ask if you’ve moved away from home? Do you live in a place you’re excited to live in? Nothing is neutral, might as well get to a place that lights you up, ya know? We moved to Montana 2.5 years ago for access to public lands for hunting, skiing, hiking. For the way of life that’s self-sufficient yet neighborly, for the freedom. We’ve met a bunch of good friends and had some adventures. Thursday night we went to a show at Pine Creek Lodge:
And this one from Rick Roberge. Are you spending your life in a way you’ll be proud to tell your kids and grandkids about in 20, 30, 50 years? Or might you be able to make some changes so that you're living in a way that’s more aligned with your values? What effect would living this example have on them?
And we usually come back to health here at 66.1, don’t we? Are your day-to-day actions aligned with your long-term health goals? Do you know what your long-term goals are? Know what your day-to-day actions need to be? Talked with a patient this week who’s coming up on a “cancer-versary” and completing a 5k with friends and family to celebrate. Tipping the balance from “disease-free” to “healthy”. Next on her list is returning to the gym to resume her strength training routine. I’d say she’s getting her life back in alignment!
I know some of you out there are much wiser than I in all of these departments, and I’m curious: what did I miss? Anything in here that I’m giving too much weight to?
