By Pam Alberts
Many people have followed the same lifestyle routine for years. If you’re living a life of authenticity filled with great joy, purpose and meaning, you’re ahead of the game. If not, the good news is there is much you can do.
In life coaching, “The Wheel of Life” visually displays the various aspects of a person’s life including health, emotional well-being, spirituality, family and friends, career or volunteer work, fun and recreation, physical environment, and finances. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate each area in your life?
For example, you might have warm and intimate relationships that provide you with great joy and fulfillment and would rate that category a 10. At the same line, you might have little time for fun and recreation, or aren’t satisfied with the quality, and give that category a 3. Feeling grateful for what you have is a wonderful way to live. At the same time, looking at what steps you could take to increase the fun and creation in your life will go a long way toward your happiness and living a balanced life.
Looking at your most important values can serve as a very valuable tool. Values, in life coaching, are what you’re naturally drawn toward such as adventure, being a part of a community, connecting with others, creativity, learning, contributing, to inspire, being entertained, and the list goes on. One way to identify your values is to think about your favorite experiences. That might include connecting with loved ones, traveling to new places, helping others less fortunate, taking adult education courses, and creating beautiful crafts.
So now you’ve determined that connecting with others, adventure, contributing, learning, and creativity are your top values. It’s time to think about ways of incorporating them into your life and as often as possible. They don’t have to be the same ways you did in the past. Combining some is a great way of getting more of them more easily into your life.
The important thing is to honor who you are today. Get creative and have fun taking new steps on your journey to a more joyful and meaningful life. The rewards are well worth it.
Pam Alberts, MSW, LICSW, CEP, MBA is Assistant Director at the Lincoln Council On Aging. She runs a Finding What’s Next group at Bemis Hall – 15 Bedford Road, Lincoln, on Fridays from 11 to 12.
