How to Increase Your Quality of Life Each Year

Is your quality of life getting better each year? Or do you feel as though you are living the same year over and over again? Sure, certain situations may have changed or there could be slight changes in your life- but is your overall quality of life really increasing with each passing year? I’m a big fan of setting goals and I have a vision board for those goals. I like to physically see examples of my goals and what I aim for my life to look like- physically, spiritually, financially, etc. But how do I actually make sure these goals become a reality?

In the last year {or really 6 months} my life has changed drastically. We moved apartments, I quit my job and we got pregnant! But these things didn’t just happen over night. I’ve been working towards them- making sure my ‘ducks were all in a line’ and my lifestyle was preparing me for this next step in life. My father always taught me to write down my goals and the steps it would take to reach each goal. {get a copy of my goal setting sheets here} But recently he has been encouraging me to go one step further. And it’s this extra step that has really made all the difference.

My father has been encouraging me to really examine my experiences- the good & the bad. First, I have to look for the benefits from each experience and look deep. Did you recently work on a project you enjoyed? If so, what specifically did you enjoy about that project? What made that project so fulfilling? Look for answers that are deeper than surface level. Find the real ‘meat’ behind your why.

Second, look for patterns. After looking at multiple experiences, do you see any patterns? Look for patterns of good and patterns of bad. Do certain patterns tend to lead you towards positive outcomes? Or quite the opposite- negative outcomes? I’ve learned when we fail, we often tend to do it in the same way every time. Look specifically for experiences when you have failed in the past at something you wanted. Are there patterns? If so, great! We’ve found a pattern worth changing! Those who ignore their mistakes are likely to repeat them! So take a moment and think. Grab a cup of tea, a pen, paper and think.

• What are some experiences from the last year you can learn from?
• What patterns led you to success or failure?
• What patterns do you need to adjust?
• How have you seen failure mature you spiritually, emotionally, and mentally?
• What would you consider the evidence of maturity and wisdom in your life?
• What do you want to do differently or focus on moving forward?

I believe that when you physically write out your goals, write out the detailed steps necessary to achieve those goals, and continue examining your progress along the way then you are more likely to increase your quality of life. I like to separate my goals for each aspect of my life- personal, community, family, career, spiritual and financial.

What type of goals would you like to set?

on me:
dress c/o Vestique :: shoes Sam Edelman

photography by Brandon Keith