Life is Like Riding a Bicycle

Have you ever been out and about and catch yourself staring at a beautiful woman wearing a dress, a smile and confidence. Then you're really thrown head over heels when you see her five kids follow right behind her. You automatically assume she's got her life under control. How in the world does she do it all?

I felt this way when I met Aya Eneli and heard her speak so much wisdom. I just remember thinking she is so intelligent and I wanted to be like her one day! I was in awe!

Aya is happily married to a doctor, a loving mother of five children ages 7-17, a daughter managing her parents' health, a thoughtful aunt, a mentor to middle school girls and an entrepreneur on a mission of empowering others as a life coach. She owns two businesses, Aya Eneli International and 5Linx.

Her children are also busy and achieve ambitious goals at such young ages. Her oldest son is an outstanding student-athlete in high school and author, one of her daughters who is not even old enough to drive owns a thriving healthy cupcake business, another daughter is also an author of a goal setting book. The younger children are involved in extra curricular activities and are already starting to think of ways to be successful like the rest of the family.

Wow!!!!

Now, we all know this is a mama's doing! Moms will always be the influencer of the family. So how in the world does she do this all? And still have friends? And still have a strong healthy body? And still have a smile?

"I'm living life on my own terms and not based on what society thinks I should be doing or what is expected of me," said Aya.

So basically Aya is super organized, follows her schedule to a T and gets everything done on her own!

"Ok so that's the biggest fallacy ever (laughing). For me I just take whatever the day brings and we roll with it. I have fun doing it," said Aya.

All of our assumptions about people getting everything done is false. Anybody can live a balanced life.

"Living a balanced life is like riding a bicycle. You always have to be adjusting if you're on a bicycle," explained Aya. "[My children] are happy; they are succeeding. I'm happy, I'm living out my purpose, I'm succeeding, and the same is true for my husband, as well. And as long as we're able to make whatever little adjustments we need to make that happen, then for me that is a balanced life."

Aya and her family are always on the go. As I mentioned earlier, everyone in the Eneli family are on missions. Thankfully for Aya and for the rest of us, technology is on our side.

Aya uses an app called Cozi Family Organizer to keep up with everyone's schedule. With this app, the children can enter their own schedule and share it with the entire family.

What a life saver!

"Everybody knows what everybody is doing except what I'm doing. I forget to put in what I'm doing," said Aya laughing.

But she's mom! She doesn't need to!

Sometimes Aya can't make it to all of her kids' events. It's expected and Aya accepts that. But she just doesn't show up to her children's events. She makes sure her children are still supported.

"I'll put it on social media. 'Hey which one of my friends is available to XYZ?' And a lot of times people will respond positively," said Aya.

One time, Aya was out of town for business purposes and her son was playing a very important football game. She wanted him to feel supported even though family does not live nearby. She updated her Facebook status with a request for friends to attend her son's football game. She was amazed by the number of people who showed up. Friends were texting her for her son's jersey number.

Aya recalled her son's excitement after the game, "Wow mom! All these people were coming up to me and cheering me on."

Aya realized the importance of asking for help when necessary and is willing to help others, as well. She believes in the saying that it takes a village to raise a child. And she looks for positive villagers to join her village.

Professionally, Aya like to focus on her strengths. She delegates tasks that involves her weaknesses, such as organization, to others who have have her weaknesses as strengths.

She used to consider herself a workaholic- staying in her office till 2 a.m. with her first son sleeping in his car seat next to her. But after experiencing the heart ache of four miscarriages, she asked God what her purpose was in life. She was so successful in her professional life but was at her lowest point in her personal life. She was falling apart, but yelled out to God for guidance and answers. She literally yelled out for God to answer her, while she was alone in her home in tears. He answered.

Aya makes it a priority to take care of her whole being: spiritually, mentally and physically. Every morning and evening begins with Bible reading and prayer. Five days out of the week consists of a workout, whether it be cleaning or gym time. And every now and then she takes a couple of hours or days to herself to rest and rejuvenate.

"I want to live in a way that my children can learn from my example," she said.

Aya lives out a very intentional lifestyle. She uses everyday to live out her life purpose. She's on a mission to make a huge impact in people's live, even if she doesn't know them.

"If we have determined what our purpose is and are living that out, for me that is a balanced life."