Everyone seems to be searching….we want to be healthier, happier, richer, thinner. Why all this searching? Is this something we’ve always been doing, or is this a new phenomenon? On one hand, striving to improve is a good thing…improve health, more happiness, better financial position. What would New Years be without resolutions to improve things in our lives? Given the circumstances that kicked off 2020, it’s not shocking that we are evaluating our lives. In business we look at “as-is” vs “to-be”. That is really what we are doing right? This process isn’t always easy, but it is possible.
If this is the situation in which you find yourself, here are some steps that may be helpful in finding your ‘er’:
- What does your life look like now (this is your ‘as-is’)? Take stock of the key areas of your life. This would be areas such as relationship, career, finances, physical/mental health, spiritual. Are they great? Lacking? Not what you envisioned? Detrimental? Write down each area and your assessment of current status.
- Where are there kinks? From the above list, which areas are lacking or not in a place that is healthy for you? Make notes about each of these in detail. For instance, if finances are not where you’d like them to be, is this temporary or long term? Is it only up to you or are there other wage earners to include in the evaluation? Are the issues behavior related, or additional income needs?
- What can I do to work out that kink? Based on the above answers, make a list of things that could happen. Don’t overthink it, just write. This is important so you are not filtering or dissecting what you write. I love using a white board for this so my thoughts just flow. Don’t worry about organizing, categorizing, or whether the thing you write is easy or hard. This is a data dump so go with it!
- Which of these make your short-list? Now take all of the information above and rationalize it down to categories, and what’s important. For instance, you may have noted that you want to get healthier. What is the category called and what are the top 3 actions to take towards this goal? Add a section for timeline. Please be honest. This is the best way to get to your goal, by having a realistic timeline. We tend to stick to change when we allow them to happen gradually - you are going to tackle one at a time!
- What does the new life look like (this is your ‘to-be’)? Visualization is super helpful when we envision goals. How will you feel when you achieve this item? How does your life change? Who is impacted in a positive way by this change? Take time each day to visualize these areas you want change. Regardless of whether the outcome is within your control or something you hope will happen. See it, think it, dream it, write it down.
The above process will help you to make sense of the chatter, prioritize your goals, and set an action plan. I promise this will help you feel more balanced.
The flip side of this is that certain events - whether they are at home, work, local or world - can put us in a tailspin. We start to question things which sometimes are not within our control. Those are different thoughts and usually means we need to come back to center and determine what IS in our control and let the others go. Some actions which may help you are to stop watching news, guard your boundaries, balance work and personal life, and beware of energy vampires (people who suck the good vibes out of you!).
Whether this is a new phenomenon based on world circumstances, or this is something as old as the lists we make, we all get mired in the chatter (sometimes in our own mind). Often, the list feels so scattered we cannot capture it to actually evaluate what is dragging us down. So, whether you are dealing with making changes to get your ‘er’ on or finding balance in an uncertain world, you’ve got this.
"The man who removes the mountain begins by carrying away small stones." Chinese proverb.