Very rarely do we have time in daily life to be still and reflect on who we are, who we want to be, what we want, and what type of connection and relationships we want so we soldier on and carry on through the motions... this is called existing!
Life is busy and sometimes we forget to look up and often we get caught up in always "doing" instead of "being." That's why every now and then it's important to take a step back and check in and ask yourself:
How am I doing? How am I feeling? Where am I going? Who am I? What do I want? What do I need to let go of? What's important now that perhaps wasn't before? What do I need to be focusing on more? Where do I need to be spending more/less time? What type of partner/parent am I being?
Or even better, make some time in your busy life and do a life audit.
A life audit involves taking an inventory of everything you're doing and being, then prioritizing what's important and eliminating what's not.
Think of it like looking in the mirror -- what you see depends how much you turn up the lights. How well it works depends on how honest you are.
Let's look at five areas of life where you can run an audit (in no particular order):
- Friends and family
- Love life
- Spirituality
- Work
- Health and wellbeing
You might want to focus on one area, or take a good look at your approach to all five for a full holistic overhaul, for example:
If you are wholly absorbed in bringing up children, but find it a daily struggle, you obviously need to implement time for self-care. Add "me time" to your to-do-list.
If your friends are not authentic or benefiting your growth or being supportive, it might be a good time to find a new tribe.
If there is no passion, intimacy, or fun in your relationship, you need to do what it takes to re-ignite your mojo and turn the love barometer up or maybe you need to realize the flame has fizzled out because it's time to move on (not all relationships are made to last).
If you've abandoned your yoga and meditation practice and lost connection with your inner-being, you might be wondering what happened to your spiritual side and why your spiritual growth has ceased. Time to get back to the mat and also remind yourself that your outer-world is a reflection of your inner-world.
If you drag yourself to work every morning, questioning why you are doing it and count the hours until home time, you obviously need to make a change in your career. Or if your job is affecting your relationships and health, it might be time to make some changes so your work does not take over your life.
If you're feeling tired, overweight and stressed you've neglected your health so time to implement a wellness plan and stick to it... without your health you have nothing!
Your answers will reveal which areas of your life need urgent attention. Looking at different areas of your life honestly will help you see recurring problems and patterns that need attention.
Once you have done your audit, then what?
Take ownership of your life by taking control and responsibility. Make a plan, put steps in place, and implement!
As Tony Robbins says, "if nothing changes, nothing changes."