by Susan U. Neal RN, MBA, MHS @SusanNealYoga
There are many aspects to our life, since we are multifaceted beings with a body, mind, soul, and spirit. A diamond has many facets too, and when the diamond is clean, it sparkles. Doing an annual assessment of all the parts of our lives helps to improve the clarity of our priorities. That is when we understand what is most important to us and what area of our life needs attention. We don’t want to be discontent with our lives—we want to sparkle.
Where to Begin
Each of the following areas represents a part of a person’s life. Sometimes we focus on one aspect too much, like our career, and let another area dwindle. Achieving a balance in the following areas is integral to obtaining a satisfactory life.
- Physical Well-Being: eating habits, exercise, sleep, illness, disease
- Mental Health: mental outlook or mindset, emotional stability
- Home Life: physical dwelling, living space
- Career: job, work satisfaction, purpose/meaning, future direction
- Relationships: partner, family, community, connection with others
- Finances: budget, savings, spending, stability
- Personal Growth & Spirituality: church, education, dreams, future vision
- Recreation: hobbies, fun activities
As you assess each area of your life, look at how you have done in the past year and how you want to improve. Studies have shown that when we write goals, we are more likely to achieve them. So an annual assessment and plan are essential to our growth and well-being.
For each area listed above, score each section from one to ten, with one being the lowest and ten being the highest for:
- Previous years rating
- What do you want to continue to do
- What do you want to stop doing
- What would you like to do in the future to improve in this area
After you’ve completed a thorough assessment of these areas, you will understand what segment of your life you have focused on at the expense of others. Many times, we do not make time for our physical health through diet and exercise. Is that an area you want to focus on next year?
Unfortunately, we cannot keep a perfect ten score in all the areas of our lives. That is not realistic. Through this evaluation, you will see what segments of your life are thriving and the areas you want to focus on in the future.
After the assessment is complete, it is time to realign your priorities and values. This is the fun part where you brainstorm about how you can improve in an area of your life. For each section list:
- Five ways to help you stop doing something:
- Five ideas for how you can improve:
For each area, use specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time based (SMART) goals. After you’ve brainstormed, create a Plan of Action listing how and when you plan to incorporate these enhancements. Accountability always helps when wanting to achieve goals.
Apply What You Learn
Last year, I met with a couple of friends on New Year’s day and we all completed a life audit together. We shared where we thought we were the previous year and how we wanted to improve the following year. This was a heartfelt time of sharing and expression of vulnerability. We became closer friends and each of us provided ideas and feedback. It was an excellent personal growth experience. Six months later, we met again to review our goals and see how we were doing.
With resolutions, we fail because we do not follow up on our progress. So add a three, six, and nine month revisit of your Plan of Action to your calendar. Who could you meet with to share your annual life audit? An annual life audit will help you sparkle and enjoy a satisfying life.
TWEETABLE
No comments:
Post a Comment