Did you do your annual life checkup yet?
When was the last time you did a physical exam? A financial review? A car tuneup? How about a life checkup?
Do you need a yearly exam? As a coach, I recommend a yearly life checkup for my clients. When is the last time you took your “life” in for a checkup? When did you last take time out of your busy schedule to take a close look at the way you are living your life?
A “life checkup” is important because your purpose and emotional state affects the quality of your life and your health.
A Simple Exercise
Take time to reflect on your past 12 months. It will only take five minutes to reflect on your past year. By reflecting on your past year, it lets you “push the pause button” to assess your quality of life. What do you need to do more of? What do you need to do less of?
Try this exercise. You will likely identify elements of your life for which you are grateful. You may also find that you are spending too much time on things that are not important to you. Jot down specific changes you can make, and then discuss the exercise with a “checkup partner.”
- Did you take time periodically to reflect on the purpose of your life?
| Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| No! | Need Work | Need modest change | Need fine tuning | Yes! |
- Did your life choices reflect your core values?
| Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| No! | Need Work | Need modest change | Need fine tuning | Yes! |
- Did you find meaning in your life as a whole?
| Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| No! | Need Work | Need modest change | Need fine tuning | Yes! |
- Did you engage in fulfilling work?
| Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| No! | Need Work | Need modest change | Need fine tuning | Yes! |
- Did you make the kind of contribution to others you wanted to?
| Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| No! | Need Work | Need modest change | Need fine tuning | Yes! |
- Did you make good use of your talents?
| Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| No! | Need Work | Need modest change | Need fine tuning | Yes! |
- Did you find time to maintain your friendships?
| Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| No! | Need Work | Need modest change | Need fine tuning | Yes! |
- Do you have at least one relationship where you feel totally listened to?
| Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| No! | Need Work | Need modest change | Need fine tuning | Yes! |
- Did you express caring and compassion easily and frequently?
| Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| No! | Need Work | Need modest change | Need fine tuning | Yes! |
- Did you have regularly fun and enjoy playing?
| Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| No! | Need Work | Need modest change | Need fine tuning | Yes! |
- Did you start most days with a sense of purpose?
| Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| No! | Need Work | Need modest change | Need fine tuning | Yes! |
- Do you feel good about your next year’s goals and prospects?
| Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| No! | Need Work | Need modest change | Need fine tuning | Yes! |
- Do you have a “purpose partner” that supports you in achieving your goals?
| Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| No! | Need Work | Need modest change | Need fine tuning | Yes! |
- Did you feel in control of your time?
| Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| No! | Need Work | Need modest change | Need fine tuning | Yes! |
- Are you content with what you achieved in the last 12 months?
| Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο | Ο |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| No! | Need Work | Need modest change | Need fine tuning | Yes! |
Reflection #1: Scoring
Kudos for taking the time to reflect on your past 12 months! There are no right or wrong answers, just authentic ones.
Add up your total score. If you’re happy with the way things are going, you most likely scored in the 60-75 range. If you’re not happy with the way things are going, you likely scored in the 15-35 range.
But, here’s the real test. Your total score is less important than your specific responses to the items that feel most important to you. For example, you might have a total score in the 60’s, but if you gave yourself a 1 (NO!) on an item of personal importance to you, it might be making you miserable.
This checkup may reveal that you’re in a good place purposefully and emotionally. Being reminded that you’re satisfied with these aspects of your life increases your awareness that you’re, in fact, fulfilled – feelings we often take for granted.
Reflection #2: Connect the Dots
Rate each area by drawing a dot in the rectangle corresponding to the question and then connect the dots to see a picture of how you feel.
Reflection #3: Repack Your Bags?!
What are the main areas in your life where you want to “repack your bags” to lighten your load for the next 12 months? What areas do you want to “reimagine” in your life? [These will vary across different phases of life – single, partnered, kids, empty nesters, retirement] and need to be revisited every year!
In the next 12 months, I need to “unpack” (to let go of):
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_________________________________________________________________________________
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Reflection #4: Yearly Checkup
Commit to a yearly checkup with yourself!
Making a yearly checkup an on-going practice helps you see how you’re doing over time and encourages you to engage in positive practices that enhance your mind, body, and spirit and build your “purposeful resilience.”
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Richard, known to his 1 million readers as “The Purpose Coach”, is a bestselling author and international speaker who writes and speaks about living a purposeful life. His books include THE POWER OF PURPOSE, REPACKING YOUR BAGS, LIFE REIMAGINED, and WORK REIMAGINED. He has been featured in a PBS Special-The Power of Purpose and, in the Washington Post, Minneapolis Tribune, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and numerous other outlets. Visit him online at richardleider.com