Hello Friends and Fellow Travelers,
In addition to the podcast, here are some accompanying questions you can ask yourself. Listening to the podcast and considering your life and your growth are excellent exercises in self-care. Actually sitting down and pondering these questions, while time-consuming, is time well spent. Our lives require consideraton and intention. This inventory is a tool toward that end.
*** Remember that a personal inventory is not a critique. We are taking a positive inventory too! We are seeking a robust look at our priorities and growth in the past year, and the goal is purposeful self-knowledge.
Here are the second episode's questions. We covered Life's Work/Career, Community, & Health/Wellness.
LIFE'S WORK/CAREER
For Those In a Career
How is my work/life balance?
Do I find equal amounts of satisfaction in my life as I do in my work? Why or why not?
What was my dream when I started this career?
Am I where I want to be? If yes, have I celebrated this? If no, what is holding me back?
Where do I have the most success in my career? What tasks come easiest to me?
What skills have I developed that have allowed me to succeed in this way?
What elements of my personality are exercised in these successful places?
Where do I struggle the most in my career? What tasks are the most difficult or dreaded?
What skills do I need to develop to face these challenges with more success?
What elements of my personality make it difficult for me to succeed in these places?
Has my dream changed or evolved? How?
What sacrifices has my career required me to make? Have they been worth it? What has been the cost?
What has been the gain as a result of my sacrifice?
For Those In a job
What life situation was I in when I took on this job?
What immediate needs did it meet?
What seemed appealing to me about it? (This is important because we often get closer and closer to our career with each successive job. Pay attention to what you like about it, and this will give you insight into what you enjoy doing.)
What sacrifices was I willing to make to work this job? Lifestyle? Time? A sense of satisfaction?
What have these sacrifices cost me?
What was my dream of a career earlier in my life? (If you had a dream of a career…)
What sidetracked me from that? Was it internal? External?
Is there a way back? What steps would I need to take to get my career on track at this point in my life?
What skills do I need to acquire?
Do I know people in the field I want to be in? Have I reached out to them?
Do I need a mentor?
What currently holds me back from achieving what I want to achieve professionally?
For students! Stay on course, keep on. You’ll get there! The sacrifices are worth it - mentally, emotionally, financially. Just keep going.
For Full-Time Parents
Am I allowing sufficient time to stay in touch with and care for myself and my children?
How is my sleep? Diet? Exercise? Nutrition?
How do I use parenthood as an excuse to not care for myself?
How have I hidden my needs behind my child’s needs?
From whom do I seek answers when I need help with parenting? (Write down their name or names.)
How am I doing with burn out? What signals does my body give me when I’m burned out and need a break? (Be specific here.)
What is my short-term goal for my relationship with my child or children?
What is my long-term goal for my relationship with my child or children?
What steps am I taking today to facilitate this relational goal?
What challenges am I facing within myself that make it difficult to connect with my child(ren)?
Have I talked to my child about my expectations for them in our relationship?
What markers do I look for to gauge how parenting is going? Developmental? Relational bond? Character development? (empathy, confidence, integrity, wisdom) Intimacy/deep talks? Trust/obedience and parent/child boundaries?
Motivation
Is my “work” centered around my will and desire to act versus fear and people-pleasing?
Am I offering my time and effort out of fear? Out of purpose?
What am I trying to prove? To whom?
What do I know to be true of myself? How can my work flow from this place?
COMMUNITY
Am I operating out of fear in my social circle? In my family? What do I fear? Do I fear judgment? Abandonment? Being left out? Intrusion? Being misunderstood?
What behaviors and attitudes arise in me as a result of this fear?
With whom am I authentic? What about them gives me a sense of safety so I can be authentic?
With whom do I struggle to be authentic? What version of me comes out? How does that keep me safe?
Who do I really trust? Does anyone know all of me?
Is there anyone with whom I am completely transparent?
Who can I rely on for wisdom?
How does my energy change or shift when I enter a room full of co-workers? Friends? Family?
What are my circles of influence? Who do I influence? Who relies on me for safety, confidence, and guidance? How do I feel about that role?
Who influences me? Who do I allow to speak into my life? To give me direction?
What am I doing to generate the friendships I need in my life?
How am I doing with addressing conflict? In the workplace? In friendships? In families?
Do I need to take anything off of my plate? Am I managing my time well in what I offer to others and how I take care of myself? Am I giving from an empty tank?
HEALTH & WELLNESS/FITNESS
What priority is nutrition in my life? Do I need to move this priority?
What is my usual breakfast? Lunch? Dinner?
What nutritional needs am I meeting with these meals? How do I feel about the foods I'm eating? (Gentle reminder: eating should be pleasurable.)
What harm am I causing my body with these meals?
How much time do I spend weekly preparing for my meals?
Is it sufficient to support my health?
What can I shift in my schedule to allow for more time for meal planning and preparation?
What priority have I given exercise in my life?
How many days a week am I exercising?
Have I sought professional input on what I can be doing to maximize my time and get the most overall health benefit from exercising?
How do I feel when I exercise? When I skip exercise?
What are my goals for my health for the coming year?
How is my relationship with my doctor? Do I trust him/her?
Do I seek attention for health problems?
Am I getting the level of care I need?
Is their care working? ( Am I gaining knowledge of my health because of my work with this doctor? Is there improvement, if needed?)
What does the healthiest version of myself look like? Feel like? Like to do? What activities am I interested in?
Take your time, and give your life the consideration it deserves.
Tune in next week for our third installment of "The Yearly Inventory." We'll cover Fun/Play, Finances, and Home Environment.
Walking with you,
Vanessa
