In the second part of this ongoing series about our Wheel of ZIng, we’ll be talking about another two sections and the animals that inhabit them and embody some qualities that we hope to instil in young people- these are ‘Life Skills’ and ‘Rest and Play’. The traits that make up these two portions of the wheel are vital in becoming the best person you can be, and inspiring both yourself and those around you!
Life Skills
On our Wheel of Zing, the ‘Life Skills’ section covers quite a broad range of ideas.It’s about putting things in perspective and seeing your challenges and goals from all sides, as well as recognising your own strengths and communicating effectively with others to empower both them and yourself.
One of the animals you’ll find on the Life Skills section of our wheel is the Leading Deer. Our Leading Deer isn’t afraid to take charge and set goals, but leadership isn’t just about that- the deer is always paying attention to the rest of their group, listening to and encouraging those around them to be the best they can be and leading by example. When you’ve a leader who you know appreciates and respects you and your abilities, it’s a million times easier to stay motivated and achieve as highly as you can!
The other animal you’ll find residing in the ‘Life Skills’ segment is our Focused Giraffe. The giraffe is able to both focus on the main goal and zoom out to look at the bigger picture, but importantly not get stuck looking at obstacles and challenges. With its massive stature it can see all possibilities and view problems from a different angle. This makes all the difference when you’re trying to surpass your limits and take on new challenges you’ve never faced before.
Rest and Play
Rest and play is something that inevitably comes up in all of our lives, but it’s not always something that we think of as necessary. Sometimes you might even be given the impression that these things are actively holding you back from reaching your full potential! This, however, couldn’t be further from the truth. Taking some downtime to restore your ‘batteries’ will save you from burnout- life can be tiring sometimes! In addition, creating lasting memories, having a laugh and having new and exciting experiences are what life is really all about.
The humorous hyena dwells on this section of the Wheel of Zing, with its ability to make light of any situation and see the funny side of life. A sense of humour makes life so much easier, and it can lift the people around you up and keep them motivated even when times are tough. It’s also important to be able to laugh at yourself once in a while- everybody makes mistakes and has their quirks, so why not learn to love them? If you don’t laugh… you’ll cry!
The curious monkey is the humorous hyena’s partner in crime when it comes to rest and play. Always excited to try new things, learn new skills, and participate with enthusiasm, the monkey is always moving forwards. Instead of fearing the unknown, whether you’re worried you won’t be any good, that you might get hurt or that you’re simply not going to enjoy it, take a page from the monkey’s book and give it a go regardless. Experiencing the unknown is an important part of the journey we’re all on, why not dive in?
We hope that after reading this you’ll have a little more understanding of the important role that these two segments of our Wheel of Zing play in your journey and how honing these strengths in unison with the others can make you a more complete and fulfilled person. From making sure you have enough time to rest, recuperate, and have a laugh, or taking a leadership role and solving problems, our wheel covers a wide range of essential skills. Everybody has different abilities in different places, which is why working as a team and recognising your peers’ unique talents is so important for your own success as well as theirs! If you missed the first post in this series then check it out here, and stay tuned for the next one!