doulajohannaHow I doula myself using the Wheel of Life
Welcome to the launch of my very first podcast episode! 🎉 I’m thrilled to share that The Doula Johanna Podcast is officially here. New episodes will drop every Friday and will be available everywhere you listen to podcasts—and on YouTube, too!
This podcast has been a dream of mine for a long time, and I can’t wait to take you along on this journey. It’s all about learning how to be your own life doula—your most supportive, loving, and empowering guide through life’s ups and downs.
As a birth doula, I hold space for mothers, helping them navigate one of the most transformative moments of their lives. I listen deeply, offer information for informed decisions, and provide support through the challenges. Imagine having that same level of care and encouragement in your everyday life. That’s exactly what this podcast is all about!
Every Friday, I’ll share practices, mindset shifts, or tools that I personally use to help myself stay grounded, inspired, and moving forward. And to kick things off, I want to share one of my favorite end-of-year practices: using the Wheel of Life to take stock of where I’m at and what I want to prioritize moving forward.
What Is the Wheel of Life?
The Wheel of Life is a visual tool that divides your life into key categories, such as:
- Job and Career
- Finances
- Health and Body
- Family and Friends
- Personal Growth and Spirituality
- Romantic Relationships
- Physical Environment
- Fun and Adventure
The idea is simple: you rate your satisfaction in each category on a scale of 1 to 10. The result is a “wheel” that shows which areas of your life feel smooth and which are a bit bumpy.
But here’s the kicker: the goal isn’t to achieve perfect balance. Life, especially for mothers, is rarely balanced—and that’s okay! For example, if you’re in the thick of raising twin babies, it’s normal for “Fun and Adventure” to take a back seat. The Wheel of Life isn’t about striving for perfection; it’s about awareness and alignment.
My 2024 Wheel of Life
At the end of every year, I fill out my Wheel of Life. Here’s what mine looked like at the start of 2024:
- Job & Career: 8 – I loved the freedom of focusing on my freelance work after maternity leave.
- Finances: 6 – While we could pay our bills, the lack of reliable income made me anxious.
- Family & Friends: 8 – Blessed with amazing friendships, though some family dynamics remain tricky.
- Health & Body: 8 – Feeling strong again after three kids, thanks to Cantienica and consistent effort.
- Personal Growth & Spirituality: 7 – I made progress overcoming limiting beliefs but struggled with people-pleasing.
- Physical Environment: 8 – Despite disliking our old apartment, I treated it with love until we moved.
- Fun & Adventure: 6 – I missed spontaneity, backpacking, and silliness with my kids.
- Romantic Relationships: 7 – Grateful for my husband, but we rarely prioritized our relationship.
While none of my ratings were below 6, none were a 10 either. This reminded me that there’s always room for growth.
Turning Reflection into Action
After completing my Wheel, I write three goals for each category and choose 4–5 priorities for the year. In 2024, I chose:
- Start this podcast (Job & Career)
- Get intimate with my money (Finances)
- Go on monthly “golden” friend dates (Family & Friends)
- Manifest our dream home (Physical Environment)
- Have monthly date nights with my husband (Romantic Relationships)
Wins, Challenges, and Lessons
Here’s how I did:
- Big win: We moved into our dream home—an intention I’ve held for nearly a decade!
- Small wins: I had several wonderful friend dates, even if not every month.
- Challenges: My husband and I managed only two date nights this year. Totally unacceptable!
- Money: While I made mistakes and lost some money, I finally got intimate with it and learned valuable lessons.
And the podcast? I almost let it slide, but I refused to carry that unfinished goal into 2025. So here I am, writing this blog post based on my very first episode.
Ready to Try the Wheel of Life?
If this resonates with you, give the Wheel of Life a try! You can use it to reflect on your year, set intentions, and create meaningful goals. To help you get started, I’ve linked a printable Wheel of Life template [here].
Being your own life doula means showing up for yourself with the same love, care, and determination you’d offer a dear friend.
So, how will you doula yourself into your best life?
