in your wheelhouse.

I've been thinking about the term wheelhouse.  You know the one?  It's used as part of an idiom to describe areas of knowledge the speaker is familiar with.  "Yeah, Russian literature is totally in my wheelhouse."  It's derived from baseball jargon, originally, used to describe the zone in which a hitter is most powerful and confident.  Makes sense.

I like to think of my wheelhouse literally.  Mine is a big old boathouse, with all my skills and expertises hanging on the walls like oars.  I can walk into my wheelhouse whenever and pick out whichever skill best suits my needs.  Literature is totally in my wheelhouse, as is yoga.  I've got some basic cooking skills up on the walls there, as well as a big old mantle I throw on whenever I've got writing to do.

I think visualizing my skills, abilities, and strengths helps to solidify them a bit.  I find that we often focus only on our failings, and forget about the things we're unusually good at.  Acknowledging your strong points is not only good for your self-esteem, but will drag you through any tough times.  If you're super stressed out or just really upset, take a wander through your wheelhouse.  Sit in there for a bit and maybe pick out a few things to carry about your day with you.

Lastly, remember that what's in your wheelhouse is entirely up to you.  As the UBC slogan goes, tuum est.  It's yours.  Embrace it, own it, live it.