The Wheel of Life & Rising Temperatures: A Seasonal Reset
Spring Solstice and the Changing Seasons of Life
Spring has always been a special time for me. There's something magical about the sun staying out longer at night, making those afternoon walks feel more attainable and a perfect time for visualizing your dreams. As we approach the spring solstice on March 20th, I thought it’d be a great moment to reflect on this season of transition, growth, and renewal. Just as nature shifts, so do we.
My mom once showed me this powerful exercise called The Wheel of Life. It’s a graph where you rate different areas of your life—things like family and friends, finances, health, career, and more. The idea is to visually see where you're thriving and where you might need more attention. You can color in the areas of your life that feel balanced or those you want to work on. It’s like creating your own personal map, showing how you're progressing, much like spring itself—full of potential for change.
Rising temperatures: A metaphor for change
As the weather warms up, we naturally start thinking about the physical changes we’re experiencing—like sweating. Spring’s heat can feel like a metaphor for all the areas in our lives where pressure or discomfort might show up. The need for lighter layers means no more hiding sweat stains under heavy sweaters. It's the perfect time to test out a prototype for Ava’s Armour, which aims to help people deal with sweat confidently and comfortably.
Breaking down the Wheel of Life
Health/Body: “I’m prioritizing my wellness, but I still battle the frustration of sweat stains in professional settings. I feel more confident in lighter colors because they represent something bigger. But no one wants to see pit stains on their shirt when they’re trying to present their best self.”
Career: “Investing time in Ava’s Armour is exciting, but it’s also a steep learning curve. Sometimes I doubt my ability to handle the business side of things, especially since my studies don’t train me deeply in analytics. But I know that every minute spent on this business will pay off tenfold.”
Fun/Inspiration: “Creativity fuels me, but stress sometimes dims that spark.” Working on my second pitch for Ava’s Armour has been a challenge. There’s so much I want to share, but I need to keep it minimal for the presentation. While walking in Duff Park back home, I found myself smiling, thinking about how one day, I could return to Murrysville with a business someone invested real money in.
And yet, when I sit down to work on graphs or tweak slide layouts, I feel that physical pressure building. I’m literally sweating from the effort of trying to get it right. But that’s what happens when you’re striving for something big. It’s not just the mental pressure—it’s the physical one, too.
Connecting it to Ava's Armour
Just as the solstice marks a time for change in nature, it’s a reminder that we’re all facing rising temperatures in one way or another. With school wrapping up and finals approaching, we’re all juggling pressures. But it’s also a time to prepare for real-world changes, too—like warmer weather, less clothing, and the need for solutions that help us feel confident and in control.
My dream for Ava’s Armour is for it to be something that people come back for, again and again, in every color. Sweat stains can feel like a physical manifestation of pressure, but Ava’s Armour is designed to remove that barrier. It’s about making people feel comfortable, confident, and empowered in their own skin.
I think about a picture of a little girl I babysit, Evvie. One summer day, I took her and her three siblings to a hockey arena with quarter games and an ice cream shop. There’s a photo of Evvie covered in chocolate ice cream, her little sky-blue glasses tilted sideways on her face, smiling so big. That moment captures everything I want for Ava’s Armour—something so good, it makes you feel free and happy in your own skin.
Closing Thought
As the season shifts, take a moment to reflect on your own Wheel of Life—where do you feel most fulfilled, and where could you use a little more attention? Life is a constant cycle of change, but we can find solutions that help us grow.
Spring’s here—go on a walk with a friend or pet, find a new show to binge (I’ve been loving The Righteous Gemstones on Max—it's so addictive!), or try a yummy seasonal fruit (i’m so glad they’re back:). Spring reminds us that change is natural, but so is finding solutions that help us thrive—whether it’s balancing life or managing sweat, the right tools make all the difference.