For this week, I’d like to dive a bit deeper under the surface and take a closer look at where you are at in your current life, in terms of being balanced or not so much.
1. LET’S ASSESS
Let’s do a current assessment of where you are at right now. This chart below is just an example of some categories in your life you might want to consider. Feel free to edit/add as you wish!
You can print out the chart below and write your topics in the bottom row or take out your journal and start a new chart yourself.
2. THREE COLUMNS
Now let’s take a look at your ‘Ins’ and ‘Offs’ list! Feel free to list them in 2 columns in your journal so you can clearly see the current state of things. Here is my example!
This is the Main Reason why I started Journaling Sisters. Well, one is because I care deeply and passionately about helping women create a life that is joyous, fun, and full of all the things they love. Because this is exactly what I did not see growing up in a violent household.
And two, because in order to create this wondrous amazing life, we first need to assess where we’re at and potentially do a bunch of tweaking. Yes, it is work. It will take time. But we are here in it TOGETHER. With the other incredible women in the JS community. And most definitely, with me. I believe you are the expert of your life. And my promise to you is I will be here every step of the way. To guide, to listen, and to hold up a mirror to help you reflect on YOU.
3. TWO LINES
Once you’ve gone through and circled ‘In’ or ‘Off’ through your life categories, I’d like you to think about why you feel it is in or out of balance. It can just be 2 simple lines. Don’t think it needs to be an essay on each category! I’m sure you know right away whether it’s ‘in’ or not. We’ll get into more depth later. But for now, just jot down a couple lines on why you feel in or off balance on each topic.
For example, let’s say if I was assessing WORK in my life right now. Since work came up as probably #1 in what is causing the most stress amongst those of you who filled out my survey. Right now, I would say for myself, my work life would be Off balance. My 2 lines might be: “Working too many hours, feel too stressed. Working on improving situation soon!” And that’s it!
Upon hindsight, I decided to add the ‘so-so’ category, which some of you may appreciate! I reread my chart and post, and I realized if I am dishing this out then I should be taking my own medicine! And quickly realized that for many areas I didn’t quite want to say it was terrible, nor great. And while generally, I like to simplify my exercises here, for the purpose of clarity – not because I don’t realize our lives are certainly complex!—and also for easier problem solving and motivation, I think having majority SO-SO results can still clearly show where we are off in our lives.
4. TWO MORE LINES
Now that you have a good bird’s-eye view of the different areas of your life and various degrees of balance for each, let’s take a look at the so-so and ‘off’ columns.
Let’s go back to my original Work example:
My 2 lines for Work were:
“Working too many hours, feel too stressed. Working on improving situation soon!”
Now I’d like you to add 2 more lines, that are what your ideal Work situation would be, if things were IN balance:
2 More lines for Work, if it were In Balance:
“A 9-5pm job where I feel calm mostly, during the day, feel appreciated, good balance of workload.”
OK, that was one longer line, but you get the idea! Keep it short and sweet. And write what you’d like that area of your life to look or feel like.
For next week, we will dive more into a simple, clear strategy for how we will go from our current state to our In Balance state! But for now, I’d love for you to end the week on a self-appreciative note, and pick something from the Self-Care or Making Time for Yourself category to do.
Your 10 Minute Journal This Week:
Day 1 ~ Let’s Assess
Day 2 ~ 3 Columns
Day 3 ~ Rest
Day 4 ~ 2 LINES – Present
Day 5 ~ 2 more lines – In balance
Day 6 ~ Rest
Day 7 ~Pick 1 thing you’ve been missing to do
Please let me know what you think! I’d love to hear if this exercise worked well for you, was useful or not, which parts specifically, etc.
Reach out at Shiuan at Shiuan butler dot com. I’d LOVE to hear from YOU! Write me at shiuan at shiuan butler dot com .
XO ~
Shiuan