I spent nearly two decades in aerospace manufacturing, specifically in the world of engine parts – mostly the nuts and washer.
In that industry, you learn quickly that the smallest components are often the most critical. A washer isn’t just a piece of metal; it’s a tool for distributing pressure and maintaining tension. If the tension’s wrong, or if the washer is the wrong spec for the job, the integrity of the entire engine’s at risk.
I’ve carried this perspective with me since completing my first ever workout program and realized that I wanted to help other women architect their own wellness. It was the spark that eventually let me into the healthcare world, but the lesson started on the manufacturing floor: If you don’t manage the tension, things break.
The “Washers” of Your Life
In my work as a Lifestyle Architect, I see so many high-achieving women acting like they’re the engine, the fuel, and the pilot all at once. But we often forget to look at our “washers” – those small, daily boundaries that manage the pressure of our lives.
Boundaries aren’t always walls; they’re tension regulators. They ensure that the pressure from your career, your family, and your commitments is distributed in a way that doesn’t crush your spirit or your health.
When the Specs are Off
When I first started my wellness journey over a decade ago, I realized that I was “out of spec.” I was saying yes to every request, effectively stripping my own threads. I was trying to hold a massive life together without any of the Small components required to keep it stable.
Here’s how we begin to reengineer those small but vital boundaries:
- Check the Torque: Are you overtightened? If you are so committed to others that you have zero “play”in your schedule for a 20-minute walk or a mindful meal, you’re at risk of snapping.
- Standardize Your Materials: Decide what your non-negotiables are. For me, it started with that first workout program. That was my “spec.” If a request interfered with that foundation, it was the wrong part for the assembly.
- Distribution of Pressure: A washer’s job is to make sure the load isn’t concentrated in one spot. Are you carrying the emotional load for everyone in your circle? It’s time to distribute that weight.
Precision Wellness
We often think of burnout as a massive, sudden engine failure. In reality, it’s usually the result of a long period of running with the wrong tension on the Small things.
By the time I moved into the healthcare field, I already knew that wellness wasn’t just about the “big parts” – the gym or the diet It was bout the precision of the daily boundaries. It’s about the nuts and washers of your schedule that keep the “Second Act” of your life from vibrating apart.
What small piece of your daily routine is currently under too much tension?