Cup of Inspiration

Today, October 19^th, is Evaluate Your Life Day. As we approach the last quarter of 2023, now is a great time to take stock of your life.

How is your health? Did you set any goals for 2023 regarding losing weight, eating better, exercising more, etc.? Are you up to date on your doctor’s visits, making sure you are getting the necessary preventative tests completed for this stage of life? Are you sleeping well? Do you have enough energy during the day?

How are you on personal goals? Did you start writing that book that you swore you would work on this year? Are you still on track reading a new book every week which you had included as one of your resolutions for the new year back in January? How are you doing with that hobby you planned on picking up as an escape from the stress of the work week?

How are you on professional goals? Did you apply for that job you were excited about? Did you sit down with your manager for that discussion on your career direction at the company? Did you finish that certification that will help you go to the next level in your career? Did you get your resume updated and ready for that next opportunity?

It is easy to get discouraged when we make goals and then don’t complete them in a timely manner. We make goals in January, and by March those resolutions are long forgotten. We start going down an exciting path for a healthier lifestyle, only for it to be derailed by a major life event. What is important to remember is that you can always start back again. If you have breath, it isn’t too late to get back up and back on track.

The stresses we deal with in life can easily blind us to our current situation. We can get overwhelmed in survival mode at our job, and not take the time to stop and really look at whether that job is worth it. We can get used to a regular routine and forget to stop and ponder if we really enjoy this routine? Are we getting anything out of it? Are you growing and developing, or are you keeping up a front to please others?

We are about three weeks into the last quarter of 2023. Before we know it, people will be talking about their plans for 2024. Don’t wait till New Year’s Eve to put together a list of resolutions for the new year that will most likely be broken within the first month or so. Today, take stock of your life. See where you are, how you feel, and where you would like to go from here. Celebrate the goals you have achieved and forgive yourself for not achieving others. Re-examine those unreached goals to see if they should still be part of the plan, and then begin setting a new course of action.

Most importantly, today remember priorities. In everything you look at, remember why it is important to you, or perhaps examine if it really is important after all. Prioritize what’s truly important, set a plan, and move forward.