Which Areas in Your Life are Working?
In the first part of this series, we took a look at all four areas of health; physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Now it’s time to take a look at major areas in our life, including personal life, family life, social life, and work life. All of these areas take up our time and make some kind of impact, whether it’s good or bad, and we need to take a good look at each one. I have a list of questions for you to answer in each area to help you focus and consider, and you can use the same scale, 1 being good, 2 being fair, and 3 being poor. If you want to fold a paper into quadrants for more of a visual, all in one space approach, go right ahead. When you answer these questions, don’t think about what society tells you should work for you or what is important. Take an honest look at yourself and answer as they pertain to you.
Personal Life
Do you know who you are? It’s important to check in with yourself and monitor your feelings. When you are upset, it’s important to know why you’re upset. Is it a reaction to something happening now, or did something happen that triggered feelings of past trauma? It’s important to know the difference, so if trauma is behind your reactions, you can make it a point to heal from it.
___ I’m comfortable in my own skin.
___ I know who I am.
___ I know my strengths and weaknesses.
___ I feel fulfilled.
___ I have a purpose. (What is it?)
___ I am happy with my life.
___ I enjoy alone time.
___ I know how to relax.
___ I feel good about myself.
___ I’m at peace with my choices.
___ I’ve released any guilt or shame tied to the past.
___ I’m true to myself.
Family Life
Not everyone has a great family life, and that’s okay. If there are people in your family who are a source of stress, rather than support, do you set boundaries when they are needed? If not, consider doing so for your own peace of mind. We don’t get to choose our families in many instances, but that doesn’t mean we have to subject ourselves to any abuse or judgment.
___ I’m happy with my relationship status.
___ My family accepts me for who I am.
___ My family loves me unconditionally.
___ I like spending time with my family.
___ My family is supportive of me.
___ I can be myself around my family.
Social Life
We all need help at times, and there is no shame or weakness in that. When you need help, are there people in your life you can comfortably call? Never mind introverts vs. extroverts. This is a chance to take a look at whether or not the non-family members in your life are making a positive impact.
___ I have several meaningful relationships (romantic, friendship, mentor, sibling, familial, work, etc.)
___ I have a strong support base if I need it.
___ I have someone to talk to about my problems.
___ I set boundaries when needed.
___ My relationships are changing, and I’m okay with that.
___ I’m comfortable in social settings.
___ What others think about me isn’t as important as what I think about myself.
___ I can be myself around my friends.
___ My friends don’t judge me.
___ I feel understood and accepted around my friends.
Work Life
Not very many people wake up every day excited to go to work. Most of us have days we don’t feel like working, and that’s okay. These questions give you a view of how healthy your work is for you on a personal as well as a professional level. We all have bad days, but when it comes to our jobs, there shouldn’t be more bad days than good. For as many years as most of us work, it should include doing things we like and feel good about.
___ I like where I work.
___ I like the work I do.
___ I like the people I work with.
___ My work gives me meaningful purpose.
___ My job provides me with stability and security.
___ My job is fulfilling and satisfying.
___ If I had to choose a job, I’d choose this one.
___ My work is a source of pride.
___ I’m making a difference.
___ Work stress doesn’t often get me down.
___ I have a good work/life balance.
___ My job is a good fit for my character (I don’t ever have to compromise my principals for the job.)
Take a look at your responses. A lot of honest 1’s indicates your life is mostly working for you. A lot of 2’s indicates uncertainty in your choices and a need to reevaluate. If you have a lot of threes next to the statements, it’s obvious you need to rethink some things and possibly make some changes. What areas need more attention, and which are your comfort areas?
Which area of your life is the strongest? The weakest? Are there boundaries you need to put into place to maintain your peace of mind? Consider each area and analyze which areas are stable and which need more work and adjustment. Next, we’ll compare your lifestyle to your priorities.