You are not broken. You never have been broken and you never will be broken. But your world may very well be broken.

But I’ll tell you what might be broken. Your environment might be broken. Your relationships might be broken. The world around you might be broken.

You might have a life full of very unhealthy things that cause you to be so unhappy that you think that you are the problem, that you are broken.

It’s true that you might be carrying around some emotional baggage, or have some traumas and triggers to deal with, but it’s also important to look outside yourself to see what areas of your life might also be contributing to this feeling of heaviness and despair.

So, I’d like to invite you to take a look at your life…

When considering the foundational needs of a human being, the home is often top priority.

After all, how are you expected to build a happy life without first establishing shelter, safety, physical comfort, and access to clean water, cooking facilities, and a safe place to sleep?

It’s next to impossible to build health and happiness in all the other areas of your life e.g. job, relationships, growth, without having a stable home to take care of your basic needs.

So, with that in mind, where do you currently live?

Do you live in a small countryside village where you are so bored because there is nothing to do and you just wished you lived in the hustle bustle of a city?

Or conversely, do you live in the busy, gross, smoggy city and wish you could just frolic around in the woods all day long?

What is your home environment like?

Do you live in a nice home? Does your home make you feel safe? Does your home make you feel loved? Do you like being at home?

Or do you actually spend more time out of your home because you don’t like your home environment?

Do you live on your own or with people? Maybe you live on your own and are lonely without company? Or maybe you live with toxic people and would be better off on your own or with different people?

Do you have neighbours? If so, are they quiet and friendly, or are they loud and annoying?

Do you have adequate access to hospitals, schools, jobs, supermarkets, sports, nature, and leisure facilities?

Time for an upgrade:

Is there anything you can do to upgrade your home environment?

• Can you move to a different area or a nicer house?
• Can you re-decorate or re-arrange some furniture?
• Can you de-clutter, clean, and cleanse your home? Read more on this here.
• Can you get a housemate or move in with a good friend?

The average person with a full time job spends approximately a third of their life at work.

That’s a hell of a lot of time even if you love your job, but what kind of a toll does this take on your overall life satisfaction if you have a less than ideal job, or if, dare I say it, you hate your job.

Some people may think it’s not possible for them to get their dream job, especially if they aren’t willing to put in the time, money and effort to get there, but it’s definitely possible for you to get a half decent job that doesn’t make you want to crawl back into bed after being there 10 minutes.

And if you are out of the employment game, consider whether getting a job would increase your life satisfaction.

But if you do have a job, ask yourself this, the night before you have to get up for work, are you super excited about getting up in the morning because you absolutely love your work? Or are you sat there with feelings of dread and anxiety at the idea of having to get up the next day?

Do you feel like you are utilising the full range of your skill set? Are you being appreciated for your contribution? Are you being stretched and expanded within your work life?

Do you have supportive colleagues and superiors? How is your commute? Is your job the right balance of mental and physical for you?

Are your extra needs provided for e.g. do you have a disability or limitation that requires extra support or accommodation?

Time for an upgrade:

Is there anything you can do to upgrade your job or career?

• Can you get a new job?
• Can you re-train in something more fulfilling?
• Can you start your own business or side hustle?
• Can you have a meeting with your boss to discuss increasing your responsibilities or changing departments?
• Maybe you don’t have a job and getting one would be an upgrade?

Whereas, if you surround yourself with joyful, positive, compassionate and inspiring people, this too will become infectious, boosting your mood and life in the process.

So, take a look at the relationships in your life, and the people you spend most of your time with.

Do they light you up inside? Do they fill you with joy?

Do you walk away from spending time with them feeling so much love for that person that you can’t wait to see them again?

Or do you walk away from them feeling drained and tired? Feeling low, depressed, and angry?

Are the people in your life supportive of your choices, your quirks, and your dreams? Or do they suppress your opinions, make fun of you, and judge you?

Are you in a relationship, do you have a partner? Do they make you feel joy, do they make you feel happy, do they light you up inside?

Or do they also drain you? Do they make you into a better, or worse, version of yourself?

Ask the same of your friends, colleagues, boss, parents, siblings, children, teachers, influencers, and clients.

Time for an upgrade:

Is there anything you can do to upgrade your relationships?

• Can you deepen your connections within your existing relationships?
• Can you break up with a toxic partner, friend, or family member?
• Can you find some new friends through shared interests?
• Can you start dating again?
• Can you assert your boundaries and needs with the people in your life?

I now invite you to consider all the areas of your life and how satisfied you are within each of them. Use the previous questions and ‘upgrade’ sections above to support you.

Once your list is complete, take some time to see where your most challenging areas are and see what you can do to begin upgrading them today.

Areas for Consideration:

1. Physical Environment
2. Health & Well-Being
3. Job & Career
4. Relationships – friends, family, partner, colleagues
5. Recreation – hobbies, leisure activities
6. Consumption – social media, TV, books, magazines, newspapers, etc.

Sharing is caring!

Once you have reflected on your areas of life, I would love if you could share your discoveries with us in the comments below. This can be super helpful to those who are struggling to reflect on their own life and could learn from your wisdom.

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