I was listening to a podcast by Brendon Bruchard a few days ago on one of my long evening walks. He is considered one of the most influential leaders in personal growth. I turn to his content for motivation and new ideas to apply in my life. His mantra of “Live. Love. Matter.” succinctly captures the very purpose of life. Live life to the fullest. Love passionately. Make a difference.
In that podcast I was listening to, Brendon talked about one habit which is the foundation for growth: review your life on the 1st of every month.
It must become sacrosanct for you to take a few hours to reflect on the month that was and anticipate the month that will be. What did you learn about yourself in the different areas of your life? Write down your favourite memories of others, the moments of magic, to preserve them forever. Were there moments when you were not your best self? How do you prevent yourself from being that person again?
Then you should take stock of where you are in the year, how you are tracking and what your priorities are for the coming month. Of course, you must do this for your work-related goals but also look at these ten distinct categories of life which you should track regularly:
Family
Friends
Health
Relationships
Mission
Finances
Adventure
Hobbies
Spirituality
Emotion
I’ve started using these 10 as a comprehensive way of measuring and calibrating my progress in all areas of my life.
Take a look at each category. How much time and attention you are giving to each? Are there some you are giving too much attention to? Others that you are neglecting? Is there a more systematic way in which you can schedule some of the actions related to each category so you have a higher chance of getting it done? For example, should you set yourself a reminder to call your Grandma every week or to meditate every day? Given the busy lives we lead and the myriad distractions we are susceptible do, we won’t find time for the important things in life unless we are intentional about it.
Here are the ten categories that I invite you to reflect upon.
1. Family
Family life gets neglected the most at the altar of pursuing success. Studies show how people regret that they missed important milestones of family members because they were too busy with work. Set aside enough time for each important member of your family. Don’t neglect your spouse because you are focused on children. This can wreck irreversible damage on your marriage. Nurture all relationships in the family without ignoring any. As parents and grandparents age, they want nothing more than quality time from you. Give your elders the gift of your time and attention in equal measure regularly before it is too late and they are no longer in your life.
2. Friends
Many working people with children don’t take time out for friends. Friends get sacrificed the most when you are chasing career goals but if you don’t keep these relationships going by giving your friends the time they need, you may suddenly find yourself lonely in the 60s and 70s. Loneliness is far more injurious to health than even smoking. Friends are great stress busters. Make sure you schedule regular outings with them. If you can’t go out and meet physically, at least have regular chats. My best friend who I have known since the 7th grade lives in London. We see each other at best once a year. Sometimes months pass between phone catch-ups but every time I talk to her it nourishes my soul. I laugh loudly. I feel good about myself. Preserve such friendships. They are worth their weight in gold.
3. Health.
We tend to think of health only when a serious illness is upon us. Otherwise, most of us take our health for granted. We have the illusion of doing all the right things to lead a healthy life but when you do an audit of your health, you may discover how much needs to be done to proactively tend to your body and respect it for the sacred temple that it is. Sleep. Hydration. Movement. Sunlight. Healthy Food. Watching glucose spikes. Weight training. Breathing. Meditation. These are a few of the most important pillars of a healthy and active lifestyle. Annual health check-ups are not just for senior citizens. Please take the time to care for your health. It is the most important asset you have to live your life.
4. Relationships.
Joyce Meyer, American authors, says “we can improve our relationships with others if we become encouragers instead of critics.” Think of how you might lift up the other person in conversation. How might you inject enthusiasm, energy, hope, love or joy into your conversations? Don’t be the one complaining and being bitter. If the other person is doing so, hear them out patiently without interrupting. Offer a more positive perspective. Adopt a mindset of always adding value, encouraging others and celebrating their success. You can also revisit Edition 110 of my newsletter for more.
5. Mission
“Growing people who grow brands.” That was one of the first missions I could relate with. It is the mission of Sumit Roy, one of my early mentors in brand consulting. A few years back, I defined mine as “A brand evangelist who is passionate about using the power of brand and design to create commercial impact, social change and personal legacy.” A bit wordy but it reminds me of what my core is. It also helps me make choices. I turn down opportunities that don’t further my mission. Do you have a mission in your life? Can you sum it up in a few words?
6. Finances.
Money is the root of all evil is an old proverb we learnt in school. What is your relationship with money? Are you a spender or a saver? Have you met a financial consultant to help you make sense of how best to save and invest? Women in particular leave the caring of finances to their Dads or husbands. A big mistake. You don’t have to become a financial expert overnight but understand your finances better and take charge. Morgan House in “The Psychology Of Money” shares 19 stories exploring ways in which people think about money and how you can make better sense of it. This book is on my list of top books to read.
7. Adventure.
“Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer!” Such a powerful reminder that we must take time out to regularly step out of our comfort zones and bring more adventure into our lives. You can revisit Edition 72: On Travel for more encouragement on bringing adventure into your life.
8. Hobbies.
When you retire from your wok, how will you spend your time? Many Senior Citizens regret that they did not cultivate any hobbies. You may be a lucky one and already have quite a few at a young age. Or perhaps you are early career and are dedicating yourself to work. It’s important you pick up a hobby or too. It’s not only a good distraction from the treadmill of work but will also hold you in good stead later in life. Pick-up a sport, learn an instrument, join a book club. Whatever floats your boat.
9. Spirituality.
Nurturing the soul is as important as taking care of your mind and body. Spiritual people believe that there is something greater than themselves in the Universe. Spirituality is about developing your connection with that greater force. It helps to keep you less self-centered and more grounded.
10. Emotion.
How deeply are you in touch with yourself? Often, we pour so much of our love into others. How about loving ourselves more? Take time to know yourself. Understand your emotions and the role they play in how your day pans out. Writing in your journal regularly is the best way to be in touch with your emotions so you can manage them better. It will help to recognize emotions in others and to empathize more as well. Work on developing your emotional intelligence. It can give you more power than you can imagine.
I believe these ten categories are quite comprehensive, but it would be great to know if there are any which have been missed out. Do take the time to do a monthly life audit which can give you more focus and purpose in living your life.
Over to you now:
Are these categories relevant to your life?
Which ones need your most urgent attention?
How might you redesign your life to pay attention to all categories?
"Decide what kind of life you want to have and say no to everything that isn't it"