It’s Family Day weekend in Ontario and I invite you to conduct a quick self-scan: are you experiencing stress symptoms? Having ‘relationship Issues’? Feeling trapped or suffering from a diminished sense of meaning? Is your work performance not what it should be?
If you answered yes to any of the above, there’s a good chance that you’re afflicted by a common malaise – an unbalanced life. So it’s time to get your compass out of its dusty drawer, equip yourself with the relevant navigational terms and recalibrate your life.
True North is a navigational term referring to the Geographical North Poll — the actual geographic location of the North Pole. Its location is constant and never changes. (Maps are aligned to True North.)
Magnetic North, on the other hand, refers to the direction of the Earth’s magnetic field, which tends to shift over time. Contrary to common perception, a compass needle points to this poll, not to True North. When you’re aligned to Magnetic North, you tend to run about your life like a headless chicken, always tending to whatever seems most urgent in the moment and losing the comforting sense of balance and equanimity.
If you want to lead a balanced, sane life, I advise you to keep your True North priorities constantly top of mind. Manage your daily realities in ways that are harmonious with your True North, not the fleeting priorities and irresistible pulls of Magnetic North.
As Lao Tzu said, ‘the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”. So here are two deceivingly simple questions to help get you started:
- What is one thing you can do today to align yourself more closely with your True North?
- What is one thing you can do this week to align yourself more closely with your True North?
Enjoy your weekend, wherever you are!
