Comments on: Take Time to Evaluate Your Life

By: Tiptoe

Tiptoe — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 06:43:17 +0000

I think it is always important to re-evaluate your life every few years. I think I read somewhere you should definitely re-evaluate your job after five years. Anyway, you have a good check list. I think I’ve been in the quarterlife crisis mode for what seems like an eternity. It’s a hard thing to get through, but it looks like you’re well on your way. You’ve done a lot of interesting things which I’m sure helps you in the long run to determine what you like/don’t like, etc.

By: Lisa J

Lisa J — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:35:17 +0000

Sometimes it’s hard to look objectively at one’s life, but it’s necessary. No matter what stage of life you’re in, you have to do it to make sure you’re in a healthy place.

Recently, I evaluated relationships and decided to eliminate a toxic relationship even though it was stressful and hurtful to the other person. For me, it was better to make the break than to continue with this poison in my life.

“Toxic” and “Poison” I know very strong words in describing someone I’d once considered a friend, but upon realizing this is what she was in my life, it was a no-brainer to take my friendship elsewhere.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:34:20 +0000

Your post reminds me of a quote by the author Richard Bach that I have been drafting a blog post on: “The simplest questions are the most profound. Where were you born? Where is your home? Where are you going? What are you doing? Think about these once in awhile,and watch your answers change.”

By: Kel

Kel — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:58:30 +0000

Very insightful. I too try to evaluate my life on a fairly regular basis to see if anything needs to be changed or “upgraded” if you will. I used to make changes much more often, but have found that I make them less the more I feel I am where I am supposed to be…where I’m happiest.

I think doing this helps keep us from falling into a rut and becoming stagnate.
~K

By: MizFit

MizFit — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:20:35 +0000

such a great post.

I often saw in my clients, even after they would ponder this, a clinging to old habits purely out of the PAIN I KNOW BEING BETTER THAN THE PAIN OF THE UNKNOWN.

By: katiebeez

katiebeez — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 08:24:49 +0000

Good post.

It’s important to be on the look-out. I have found for myself, that over-analyzing can be a bad thing too (if it keeps me from taking chances).

I’ve never been in a hurry to follow the imposed checklist either: marriage, house, children, identity crisis, etc…

I think the thing in my life that gives me the most happiness is that I have a career that I enjoy and that also pays well.

I really think if everyone could find what it is they really love, and get paid for doing it – the world would be a much happier place to be.

By: mikkie

mikkie — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 05:55:35 +0000

Taking time out to reflect is one of the mian things I intend to do while I am here in Australia travelling for a few weeks. And withh the long distance that should not be a problem. :-) To be honest I am quite sure what the outcome will be: I am really happy with the state my life is in right now. I love my work and colleagues and : inspiring, fun and challenging. I love the place where I live, the apartment and the town. Friends and family are lovely, not perfect but the best they could possibly be. No love relationship, but I am working on that! ;-)

I don’t plan much ahead though. After having a car accident and a small brain infarct at 18/19 I gave up on that. No use living for the future. I don’t mean that you should not make sure some basic securities are there, just that you shoulc not give up too much today for something that may or may not happen tomorrow. There may not be a tomorrow after all.

In the end of course it is all about priorities: I collect experiences, not stuff. SoSome people decide otherwise and that is perfectly ok as well. Whatever suits you best.

By: dad

dad — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 04:02:06 +0000

something a professor told me while i was at liberty….simple and to the point. “bloom where you are planted”. something i’ve had to fight to do from the beginning. like walking against a hurricane. you may be going in the right direction, but, it can take a lifetime to get there. sometime’s it’s best to just “do what you do”, and let life take it’s course. “life will find a way.”

By: Cynthia

Cynthia — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 23:51:57 +0000

I need to do your self evaluation check list. I believe I’m on the verge of something great that will break very soon but my patience is waning!

Thanks for the shout, though! I have to agree with you, Becca is amazing and very brave. :)

By: Another Chris

Another Chris — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 20:11:56 +0000

Great post Zan….but it really struck me in reading this that there are different sorts of self-analysis. And I wonder if this difference reflects a fundamentally opposite outlook on Life (and our journeys through Life), or if it is perhaps a difference mainly in age. Here’s what I mean….I didn’t see any reference in your self-questioning to the far future–when I was in my 30′s, I started to make decisions based on where I wanted to be in my 50′s…or 60′s. So, I worked towards paying my mortgage off, instead of taking that vacation to Ireland (there was/is the hope I still will be able to do that one day). And though I never married, nor had children, I know people in their 30′s who have positioned themselves for the next 20 years of their lives—so, they’ve gotten their own desire for world-travel out of the way, they’ve had a child or two…they’ve found a nice home in a quiet, safe neighborhood…they’ve taken the promotion that might allow their spouse to stay home with the baby, at least until the young one starts kindergarten.
I have always been impressed by your bravery in the choices you make for your Life…I’ve wished, in fact, that at times I was not so practical (next year, as an example I am buying a new furnace, instead of accompanying friends to Europe). I’m not sure what I’m trying to say…I guess it would be the question, do you make long-LONG term goals, or do they not interest, or frighten you (by frighten I mean, does the thought of having a 30 year mortgage, and thus being, seemingly, forced to stay with one job, in one town horrify you?)? I ask these question because I know how brave you are, at self-revelation. Again, great post, Chris R.