Have you ever found yourself feeling like you’re caught in the hamster wheel of life without any true sense of purpose or direction? We’ve all felt this way at some point! Whilst there’s no magic pill we can take to instantly move through these feelings, there are tools we can employ in our daily lives to help us tackle these feelings of mundanity. Specifically, this involves a great deal of good old honest self-reflection.
Although it’s a powerful tool for harnessing the willpower to achieve your life goals, self-reflection can be extremely overwhelming and confronting. “Asking the hard questions can be extremely uncomfortable,” says Sophie Guidolin, personal trainer, mum-to-be of five and creator of health and fitness app The Bod.
“But we don’t learn and grow by sticking with what’s comfortable When I feel low, lost or as though things aren’t going the way I had hoped, I start by asking myself the below questions. To truly get something out of these questions, you have to be honest with yourself and know there are no right or wrong answers. Asking them is the answer.”
Am I being true to my values?
Do you ever get that niggling feeling that something is ‘off balance’ in your life? This often happens when little behaviours creep up on you that violate your values. You may have conflict when it comes to your core values – for example, spending quality time with your family is one of your primary values, but you keep staying late at work. Make sure you are living your life honouring your values. This in return will give your life purpose. Knowing what your values are makes it easier to surround yourself with people who also honour the same values.
Am I settling in areas of my life?
We often don’t realise we’re settling until it’s too late. When you settle, you accept less than you’re capable of. You may settle in an unhealthy relationship, or in a dead-end job. If you don’t ask yourself where and why you’re settling, it’s hard to stop it. Open your eyes to where in your life you are settling and realise that you deserve so much more. Create a life you can’t wait to wake up to.
What do I want my life to look like in 5 years?
If you don’t know where your end destination is, then you’re likely to take a few wrong turns to dead ends. Knowing where you want to go and what you want your life to be allows you to determine your route. You can set your goals and stick to them. Envision where you want to be in five years – it’s not so far in the future that you can’t imagine yourself there, but it’s not so close that you can’t do anything about it.
What is stopping me from doing what I truly want to do?
We all make excuses and sometimes it’s easier to shrug our shoulders and say ‘I don’t know’ rather than opening up to our heart of hearts. Most of the time, we know exactly what we should – and want to – be doing; we just aren’t willing to move the roadblocks out of the way. Fear stops us and keeps us from improving our life and living our dreams. We need to use that fear as fuel to drive us to our destination.
Am I a better person today than I was yesterday?
We are all constantly evolving and we should all be aspiring to be better tomorrow that we were today. Change will always happen, how you respond is what determines your growth. You can choose to grow and flourish from your past or you can opt to remain where you are. Accept, learn and keep growing.
Do the people I surround myself with add value to my life?
Protect your energy like it is gold. Do those closest to you align with your values? Do they treat you with love and respect? It can be extremely hard to assess the relationships we have but it is necessary – toxic energy and negativity are not welcome in your tribe. Assert kind boundaries and remove those who do not align with you. You were not put on this planet to please others nor should you bend or break your core values in order to appease the needs of others around you. Your boundaries are yours alone and anyone who disrespects them has no place in your life. You can listen to my Flourish & Fulfilled podcast episode all about healthy boundaries and how to take back control here.
Do I treat myself with the love and respect I truly deserve?
Cheer for yourself first and foremost. You are beautiful, strong and you are worthy. Learn to harness the power of self-empowerment, of self-love and being your own cheer squad. Do you treat yourself with love and compassion, or are you your own biggest critic? You can’t pour from an empty cup – cover your needs first before the needs of others.
Am I holding onto something I need to let go of?
There’s a power in having the courage to look deep within, acknowledge what is no longer serving you, and walking away. Don’t look back, you’re not going that way. What is coming is better than what has gone. Let it go, allow yourself to move forward and continue to flourish.
What is my purpose?
We all have a purpose. What do YOU want to do? Who are you at your deepest core? Find your purpose, discover who you are, what you truly want, and live in alignment with your true self. Uncover who it is that you are meant to be.
What am I most thankful for?
Practicing gratitude has a number of benefits, reminding you of the beauty in the little things in life that you currently have. It helps you look at situations in a more positive light, build stronger relationships with people you love, and helps improve your mental and physical well-being. Try practicing gratitude daily and I can promise you that you’ll start to feel better for it. It’s a true way to live in alignment. Remind yourself daily of things that you appreciate and those that make you happy to be alive. Feeling grateful for all that you currently have brings you back to the present time – and the present is a truly wonderful place to be.
Remember, some of these questions may make you uncomfortable, but it’s important to remember they are giving you valuable insight on yourself and will guide you to live a life of fulfilment and joy. These are questions worth asking every day.
For more, checkout the online courses that Sophie has on offer at https://flourishandfulfilled.com.au
Find Sophie on socials at @sophie_guidolin @flourishandfulfilled @thebod_