There were times during my journey towards a healthier lifestyle when I was just cycling and recycling. Going round and round, trying to find an exit. So, you can imagine when I see a ROUNDABOUT sign, I get a little queasy. There are times when I see one that I just want to DRIVE THRU.
However, I have learned much from my experience as a TOPS member. The exits found in a ROUNDABOUT are actually choices. I may go around a few times before I find the right one, but the key is there are choices.
The exits found in a ROUNDABOUT serve as ALTERNATE ROUTES. Clearly, there is not only one path to being our healthiest self. Finding the right INFORMATION is particularly important.
I am amazed at the times when I follow a path and have remarkable success, only to have it suddenly STOP working. Instead of getting frustrated, I now allow myself time to adjust my SPEED LIMIT and approach the ROUNDABOUT with my eyes (and mind) wide open.
I have taken many roads on my journey. The UNDER CONSTRUCTION sign keeps me in check. Yes, I may take a few spins in the ROUNDABOUT but I know that TOPS will put me in contact with a FLAGGER. They will give me the right direction, letting me know to MERGE or YIELD.
If you find yourself stuck in a ROUNDABOUT, do not worry. TOPS will help you find that correct exit and not leave you in a VISITOR PARKING lot. You may have to take a DETOUR for which you did not plan. But you can rest assured that the INFORMATION you get will have the TOPS SAFETY FIRST philosophy already taken into consideration.
I hope to see you soon at the next ROUNDABOUT. Remember, we FOLLOW THE SIGNS together.
Thank you for this one Rick. I’ve had times when I’ve felt very stuck in the roundabout with more choices to exit than manageable. Over time, I have figured out that the important thing is to exit – make a choice and if it wasn’t the right one, it is ok to turn around, re-enter the circle and take another.
Hi Mary,
Betty Lou Rapp
from PA 0728 New Bloomfield
Is there a place to find all of the signs to print out.
I was just put in as leader and i would like to start
at the beginning and do them all.
Thank you
Betty Lou
All of the TOPS Healthy Lifestyle: Follow the Signs is group together using a “tag”. When you click on the tag called “TOPS Healthy Lifestyle: Follow the Signs” located under the blog post, it opens an archive of all the posts for this tag. It displays the newer posts first. You can get to the older posts by clicking on the “Older posts” link at the bottom of the page. You can also find all of the TOPS Healthy Lifestyle: Follow the Signs articles by going to the TOPS Healthy Lifestyle: Follow the Signs.
Perfect comparison. Way back, I avoided our first Halifax rotary and continued to do so for close to 25 years. Then I started to use it for one direction only and, gradually, I gave the other directions a try. They became manageable in time and I will use it for all offshoots to various destinations now, fairly comfortably. Patience, building self-confidence, being flexible and willing to make mistakes, reroute and get back on track are key to making it to your journey via a given resource. Unlike TOPS, tho’, the Armdale Rotary will never be my favourite route to get around in life. Thanks, Rick, for your bountiful blogs that keep us motivated.
Thanks Rick. This really hits home. We have many choices, and TOPS surely helps us along our journey. We just need to pay attention to the signs!
Thanks Rick. So very true. Love the traffic sign analogy. Definitely pertains to life changes for health.