#31DayReset Day 2: Take an Honest Assessment of Your Life

This post is Day 2 of the 2012 edition of the 31 Days to Reset Your Life Challenge.  Learn more and sign up here.

Many of us have a love/hate relationship with the current state of our lives. There are some things that we enjoy and appreciate about our circumstances, but if we’re honest with ourselves, there are some things we want to change about them, too. But before you can get clear about where and how you might improve, you need to have a good sense of where you are right now. You need to take an honest assessment of your current reality.

The purpose of today’s two-part exercise is twofold:

  1. To force you to own up to exactly which areas you’d like to improve upon in your life.
  2. To give you encouragement to build on what’s already great about it.

Estimated Time to Complete: 60 – 90 minutes

To complete this exercise, you will take an honest assessment of seven specific areas of your life:

  • Lifestyle (satisfaction with where you live/living environment, how you spend your leisure time)
  • Work (satisfaction with where you work right now, what you do to earn your living)
  • Education (satisfaction with your educational attainment to date – college, vocational school and other learning goals)
  • Finances (the current state of your budget/money management, salary, net worth, debt-to-income ratio)
  • Health (the current state of your mental, physical and spiritual health – mind, body, soul)
  • Family (the quality of your relationships with family members, siblings, children)
  • Relationships (the quality of your relationships with friends and romantic partners)

For each of these specific areas of your life, ask yourself two questions. (The worksheet provided below may assist you.)

1.What do I LIKE about this area of my life?
2.What do I DISLIKE about it?

 

You can either write your responses in your Reset notebook or print out the Life Assessment Worksheet below. Just print it out, write your answers and insert or paste into your notebook.

Download the Life Assessment Worksheet (optional)

Take Action and Reflect: When you’re done, please share your honest life assessment with us in the comments! List some or all of your likes/dislikes for each area of your life and see how they compare with others in the challenge. If you blogged about today’s assignment, please post the link in the comments so we can read it!

Want All the 31 Day Reset Exercises in One Place?

The Reset Workbook contains all 31 daily assignments in one place as well as 28 printable worksheets to supplement the material and help you complete the daily exercises. The workbook is 60 pages long and comes in an electronic, ebook format.

For those who may wish to go at their own pace, this workbook allows you to have all the assignments at your fingertips in addition to the opportunity to connect with others who are doing the 31 Day Reset program here on the blog. There are also a few bonuses, like the full version of the Life Mapping Workbook with a video training!

Buy the workbook here.
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62 comments

  2. This exercise helped me to put so much into perspective. It forced me to bring things that I knew subconsciously or had buried to the forefront and admit that if I did not face them I wold not be able to move forward in my life.

    On the other side of that the exercise also helped me to realize that there is a lot I have to be thankful for and I am very blessed to have so much that I like about my life.

    I have a lot of work to do, but we are all works in progress and since I have already accomplished the first step recognizing what needs work then I know God and my support network will help me to do the work that needs to be done.

  3. This really helped me look at my life realistically and I’m excited that it gave me a starting point to really get motivated to “Chase my bliss” which is part of the quote written in the front of my notebook.

    I realized how proud I am of my educational and professional accomplishments but how focusing so much on these and holding on to past pain have caused my relationships to suffer. In fact that’s the area I most disliked and the area I plan to attack and fix first!!

  4. This one was kind of difficult. Some areas took more time to draw the answers out, and others were a bit too easy! Here is the short version of my answers:

    Lifestyle: I like my social life, the city I live in, and the fact that I travel a lot. I dislike the cost of living, and searching for my 1st home purchase.

    Work: I like getting paid. I dislike pretty much everything about where I work and what I do. I dislike feeling so woefully unfulfilled.

    Education: I like learning. I like the programs I’ve studied and the achievements I’ve earned. I dislike that even though I’ve done a post-grad certificate, I haven’t yet done my Masters.

    Finances: I like that I’m smart with my money. I like making a decent salary. I dislike student loan debts and constantly adjusting to the high cost of living in my city.

    Health: I like that I’m fairly healthy and like to work out. I dislike that I’ve had a couple of cancer scares (still working through one). I dislike not making enough time to work out. I dislike feeling depressed (mainly around my unfulfillment at work).

    Family: I LOVE my family and how close we’ve either become or have always been. I like the idea of having children in the future. I dislike feeling used by some family members, and dislike my concerns over having trouble conceiving.

    Relationships: I LOVE my marriage and my husband. I love the close friends I have. I like being loved and being in love. I dislike mourning over lost friendships.

    Wow. Looking over my notes has me thinking a lot…can’t wait to see how this exercise works with the ones to come…
    Read my latest blog post…RESET: The 31 Day Reset Your Life Challenge

  5. Exercises made me more greatful because I have more likes than dislikes including my financial health in retirement. I often enjoy doing nothing, which includes reading on line, going for walks (communing with nature), sending cards to those who don’t get out and about like they used to do, and simply relaxing!

    I love learning! Am thinking I will go to the community college for some ITT courses. My concerns have been in the area of security in technology use so that’s probably where the reset button will take me. I’ve been thinking along those lines for a while now, and I could continue my jaunts to beaches and visits with my mom ( three hours away by car ) during the week as a retiree.

  6. This was a hard one. What surprised me was that I did not have to THINK hard about the answers which leads me to believe that I knew all things things all along. I realized that I am proud of my educations. I went back to school late (30′s) and currently have my BA and working on my MA.Ed.

    My thoughts on my finances scared me most. My husband was very successful for a long time and we ended up loseing everythin and having to start over. What is wild is that this also affected my relationship answers and my family answers. There is so much that I need to let go of to be truly happy. I am just SO unsure how to do it. I am hoping this journey will help me through that.
    Read my latest blog post…Hitting the Reset Button…

  7. To complete this exercise, you will take an honest assessment of seven specific areas of your life:
    • Lifestyle (satisfaction with where you live/living environment, how you spend your leisure time)
    • What I like about where I live is that I have my own apartment, it is affordable for such an expensive area to live in, and it is extremely cozy and warm with good energy.
    • I don’t like the environment, as there are many people that I encounter on occasion, that I would rather not upon entering and exiting my building (noisy; pookie an’ nem).
    • I do get to go out on occasion and hang with my girls, which is always fun. There is a man that on occasions takes me out to bar hop, movies, and for leisure walks, which is nice. I am a work-out-a-holic, so that is a regular part of my daily routine, which I do like.
    • I don’t like that I am not able to travel due to not being able to afford it. I also don’t like that I am unable to splurge on things for myself like clothing, shoes, trinkets, furniture, and technology.
    • Work (satisfaction with where you work right now, what you do to earn your living)
    • I AM NOT SATISFIED WITH WORK. AT ALL. I am currently a Career Coach who assists people with disabilities figure out their vocation goals, how to reach those goals, and the steps it takes to get to those goals and whether they are realistic or not.
    • What I do like about this area of my life is that I am serving the community that is very similar to the community that I come from. It feels good to help people to rise above the station they were born into if that is their desire.
    • Education (satisfaction with your educational attainment to date – college, vocational school and other learning goals)
    • I am satisfied with my educational attainment. I LOVE TO LEARN! I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary studies, with a minor in Psychology (my FAVORITE subject). I also hold a Master of Science degree in Education/Special Education. That degree was free, which I am still ecstatic about. I feel very well rounded in this area of my life.
    • What I don’t like about my educational attainment, is that I spent all that time and money focusing on going to college (because that is how I was raised), but I am still not doing what I want with my life and feel that time could’ve been better spent chasing my dreams. And the education still does not yield me the type of salary that I would need to cover every bill that I have and allow me to save.
    • Finances (the current state of your budget/money management, salary, net worth, debt-to-income ratio)
    • Sigh. The current state of my budget is that I don’t have a budget. My money management, net worth, debt-to-income ratio is all poor. My salary is more than $45,000 but less than $50,000, which for the area that I live in is low, and the cost of living is high. All these things I do not like.
    • What I do like about the current state of my budget/money management, salary, net worth, debt-to-income ratio, is that I know that these things will not stay this way forever and soon, I will be able to afford the kind of lifestyle I want.
    • Health (the current state of your mental, physical and spiritual health – mind, body, soul)
    • I like that I am currently physically healthy. I have some weight to lose, but I am working on that steadily and slowly looking the way I want. I like that my spiritual health is under construction and that I have been navigating and reconciling what I choose to believe and what my faith is in.
    • My mental health is not that bad. I think (lol). I struggle with guilt, past hurts, and sometimes despair about where I am or where I think should be in my life. I also have only just admitted to myself an others what it is I REALLY want to do with my life, which has taken a tremendous load off of my mind as well.
    • Family (the quality of your relationships with family members, siblings, children)
    • I LOVE MY FAMILY! I am very close to my family, especially my brothers and my child. Wes tick together and visit each other as often as we can.
    • What I don’t like is that I am far from my family. I miss them, and the pain I feel daily from being apart from my daughter is sometimes unbearable.
    • Relationships (the quality of your relationships with friends and romantic partners)
    • I feel like I have the best friends in the world! I have a diverse set of friends and I highly value the relationships I have with each and every individual. I don’t know where I would be without them!!
    • I don’t like that my romantic relationships seem to become fractured. I have a hard time trusting, not feeling like things are going to go awry when they are going well, did I mention serious trust issues? I also don’t like that I am scared of romantic relationships and when I engage in them, I sort of lose myself.

  10. I had a tough time with this challenge, but it forced me to be real with myself. I like the fact I am close to my family and the few friends I have and that I do spend a lot of time with my 2 beautiful kids. I am in school working towards a degree that I have been lusting over since I was a little girl, I was able to get back into the military, but I am in a different branch and only in the reserves, but really everything else needs a major overhaul. Can’t wait for day 3.

  11. Hello ladies (& gents),

    So I posted by Day 2 Assignment on my tumblr (lifeidiot.tumblr.com). I’m still learning how to use it so I can give you specific links.

    But I must say, I am a hot mess. LOL. I have always been pessimistic but my negative comments were very forthcoming. It took me forever to get to my likes. Especially, with the Job topic.
    Read my latest blog post…31 Days to Reset Your Life: Day 2

  12. Lifestyle: I love my house bc I’ve lived in it since Junior HIgh School, so it’s comfortable and very close to my extended family so it’s home. My parents left the house to me and my brother and its a lot of responsibility and work that kind of landed in my lap by default. I don’t think I was prepared for such a huge responsibility.
    Work: I love my new job (which I just start in February) bc it’s along the lines of what I want to do in the future. I get a sense of fulfillment everyday, whether all of the students appreciate it or not. At the same time, I wish the students I work with realized they are very fortunate to partake in such a wonderful program and that they were motivated to want more for themselves.
    Educaton: I am proud of my educational accomplishments and I love school so I am not done educating myself. It’s just so expensive, I need more free money!
    Finances: I make more money than I used to so I am appreciative and grateful, but with my debt-to-income ratio being so high, I need more money!
    Health: I’m in tune with my body and thanks to a recent discovery of the Daniel Fast, I have adopted a healthier lifestyle as far as eating goes. I don’t exercise as much as I should, so that is a goal of mine. Spiritually, I am respecting my process and I am right at the point where i accept and welcome growth and change.
    Family: I come from a close-knit family where many of my younger and older cousins look up to me. This is not only an honor, but motivation never to let anyone down. My family gets together at least once monthly bc we miss each other too much. I come from a family that can fight with each other, but will never allow someone else to fight us.
    Relationships: I have managed to cultivate and maintain friendships from every area of my life. I’m pretty outgoing and friendly so I can get along with anyone and I have finally accepted that everyone can exist on your life but on different levels. Nothing in a relationship is just black or white, there’s definitely some grays. I have not found a romantic partner and this is discouraging but also a reminder not to settle and stay true to my values.

  13. This exercise helped me map out ideas that I’ve been processing lately. The likes and dislikes that stood out to me are:

    *LIFESTYLE: I wish my leisure time was more leisurely. This is a like and a dislike because I like that I spend my free time doing productive things (like this), but I need more mindless activities in my life.

    *WORK: My work situation is far more complicated than I would like it to be. Somehow it is simultaneously limiting me and broadening my horizons.

    *EDUCATION: I have been sooo blessed to occupy the educational spaces that I do right now. It is really hard to maximize the potential of my educational opportunities though, because I have so many demands in other parts of my life.

    *FINANCES: Yeah…this is not looking good. While I have no debt, I also have no savings and no retirement plan, and I will not have either of these things in the foreseeable future :-/

    *HEALTH: My weight situation has been the bane of my existence for so many years. However, recently a really close friend helped to reshape my perspective about my body image, which did wonders for my confidence level and overall outlook.

    *FAMILY: The older I get, the more I realize that not having any biological siblings is not as ideal as I used to think. It’s just a different type of relationship that I don’t have access to. The other thing is that pretty much all of my extended family lives miles away so that just compounds the situation. I really wish I grew up with all of my cousins. On a more positive note, I love my parents so much. Theyve watched me grow, and I’ve watched them grow.

    *RELATIONSHIPS: It is frustrating that I haven’t found the relationship that I’ve been looking for yet. On the other hand, I have some of the most beautiful, inspiring, loving people in my life. I am overwhelmed by the love they have for me.

    Because of the distance, my relationship with my extended family is suffering. I need to work on that.

  14. I had to change my name because I am googled quite often. But here goes:
    Work: Like- Helping people who are often overlooked, DIslike- WOrking long hours for little pay, working and not getting paid for it, having to deal with rude clients and a rude boss.
    Finances: Like- that I can say I have some capitol. DIslike: The capitol is not enough to cover all my bills.

  15. OK…so this one made me realize that I am NOT pleased with where I am in my life. Ok that’s not really a big surprise which is the whole reason I’m doing this reset. I did find that I’m not completely disgruntled. My spiritual life is on track, I’m happy with my family, and I’m very well educated (although I’m looking to move into a completely different field, but I’m pleased with what I’ve done so far to get where I want to be in it). I do need to reassess my “friendships” and my relationship with my husband (kids & work are really taking away from “us”). I definitely have to get out of my unhealthy work invoronment ,so I can take care of my family, physical health and emotional health. Moving is going to be necessary to reach my career goals & to make me content with my surroundings (read give me more options to nurture my interests–art, culture) although I’ll miss my house. It’s nice, it’s my first home, and I love my yard. Plus I’ll be away from my family, but that might be a good thing in that I won’t feel so obligated to cater to them.

  16. Wow, this exercise made me discover the fact that I am not as happy of a person as I used to be. I thought I was, but based on my answers, I had more DISLIKES than I did LIKES. Lately I noticed myself changing and being sad from time to time, which led me to this 31 day challenge. But to look at my life overall on a notepad like this and see how much negativity that I wrote about it makes me want more change. I won’t write my answers, but I encourage each of you to be completely honest with yourself at least. Can’t say this exercise is making me “feel” better right now, but it is so necessary to get to the next step. (I hope….)

    • Thank you for sharing your experience – this exercise is definitely the hardest in the challenge, but it’s also the most important one. It’s great that seeing the reality of your life makes you want to change it. That would be the best outcome!

      • This was a great lesson for me. Doing this exercise made me really analyze my life and see what I an struggling with in every aspect of my life and appreciate the things that I take for granted because I’m always worrying about the problems.

  17. This exercise made be a little nervous, however it is the first step I have taken to self discovery(sad to say). The things I most like about my life are my lifestyle and having a wonderful three year old son. The things I dislike most is that I do not have any close friendships, that I need to improve on every area of my health, especially physically and spiritually and I have become dissatisfied with my job. My job used to be fun but now I feel overwhelmed by my increasing workload.

  18. lifestyle:

    like – i am able to spend my leisure time in anyway that i choose.

    dislike – i dislike having to live with others and not having more space in which to create and live.

    work:

    like – i am able to select when and where i work.

    dislike – i dislike not receiving a steady stream of income.

    education:

    like – due to my previous technical studies, i am now able to utilize various design programs for my creative work.

    dislike – i dislike feeling as if i haven’t learned all that i can.

    finances:

    like – i like that i don’t consider this part of my life often. in doing so, i prevent unnecessary worry and stress for myself.

    dislike – by neglecting this part of my life, i also make it more difficult for myself to gain a better understanding of how to manage my wealth wisely.

    health:

    like – i like that i feel stronger as a person due to certain adjustments that i’ve made in response to certain changes in life. i also like that i’ve broadened my view of food and health. i am happier now that i’ve learned to practice what i call *food freedom*.

    dislike – i dislike that i haven’t worked out in months.

    family:

    like – i enjoy the relationships i have amongst my cousins and aunts.

    dislike – i dislike that i have no desire to speak to my immediate family members (mother, sister, or grandmother).

    relationship:

    like – i like that i do have access to folks that i can speak to if necessary.

    dislike – i dislike that i don’t have more friendships that are closer or deeper in nature.

  19. I did this last year and I have to say…I was more satisfied with my life then than I am now. A lot of it is related to me not working. The Day 2 assignment was kind of hard for me.
    Read my latest blog post…‘Twelve-thousand people living in seven Caribbean countries – Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago – were surveyed to gauge the perception of crime and justice in the region. Many of the respondents said they lived in fear of violent crime and had little confidence in the police. Across the region, almost 10% of those questioned had been victims of crime in the 12 months up to the survey. The numbers ranged from a low of 6% in Jamaica to a high of 11% in Antigua, Barbuda, Saint Lucia and Barbados. The number of rapes is higher than the world average, and 30% of females surveyed said they lived in fear of being sexually assaulted.’

  20. So Day 2 was “deep” but I guess in a lot of our situations “getting deep” is something that is avoided, but needed. I wrote (typed) a lot of what is always in the deep recesses of my mind during this exercise. Some of it I’ve known and others I’ve just discovered.

    The common thread I’ve found is that there is some dissatisfaction with finances and romantic relationships.

    I’m not going to post my response on here, but my blog is linked and everything is on it there. Please read it and comment.

    Ready for Day 3…
    Read my latest blog post…Day 2 of 31 Day Reset: Take an Honest Assessment og Your Life

  21. I have found through this exercise that I am much more satisfied with my life this time than I was the last time. There are obviously still areas where I want to see growth, but I do think that overall I am much more satisfied with the current state of things.

    The main areas where I have some major dissatisfaction are the areas of Finances and Relationships of the romantic sort. I think that I will definitely see growth in these areas over the next month and I am truly excited about what’s to come for me!
    Read my latest blog post…Day 4: 31 Days to Reset Your Life

  23. Lifestyle – Pros: I like the home I have created as far as comfort and also the material things I’ve been able to put in it. I’ve been able to travel and see almost everything that I’ve wanted. Cons: I dislike not being in the home I really want.

    Work – Pros: I like my salary and the professional relationships I’ve cultivated. Cons: I dislike my commute which is 100 miles each way. I dislike that I will be unemployed in 30 days. Most importantly, I am not doing what I love or what I am passionate about.

    Education – Pros: I love that I attended VCU and exposed to one of the best art schools in the country. I love that I had in my opinion a top notch education and college experience. Cons: I didn’t complete my degree at VCU. I also continue to allow obstacles to get in my way with continuing my education.

    Finances – Pros: I like have the potential to buy what I want and to be financially free. Cons: I don’t save enough and I am not financially free.

    Health – Pros: I am seemingly healthy and athletic still after all these years. Cons: I don’t work out like I used to. My emotional well being is definitely not where it needs to be. I’ve been through a lot this past year and I need to lift myself back up to where I was. Actually, I need to be above where I was.

    Family – Pros: My family is extremely large and very much supportive. Cons: I wish I always felt the support from my family. I think I would have made different decisions if I did.

    Relationships – Pros: I have some great and long-lasting friendships. I recognize each relationship for what it is and what each of us bring to the table for each other.
    Cons: I can’t say exatly how I feel about things in my relationships 100% of the time. I end up holding a lot of stuff in until I get to my boiling point, which for me, is the point of no return.

  24. This was an interesting task that was so needed in my life..so here we go…

    Lifestyle: I purchased my own home about 2 years ago, and I LOVE it! Each room within is a reflection of me and I’m slowing putting it together for completion or rather to fullest likings. I’ve dedicated time to look at ideas for decorating and improving.
    Within this area I dislike that I’m not more involved with the community. I tend to miss several group meetings within the subdivision and/or activities within the community. I only know one of my neighbors within the entire subdivision. I also dislike that I don’t do a lot of leisure reading. A lot of my downtime consists of me either watching a movie or sleeping. I don’t get out as much with others, unless it’s with my very close friends having a special occasion. Though I will admit recently I did attend a ballet with some facebook friends that I hadn’t spent time with since high school; I just saw them post a message about going to a show and I asked to join them. I also don’t like that I’m not comfortable going out solo.
    Work: I’ve worked in healthcare for 8 years now and I love it. I recently received a position that I love and will put me in the direction to improve my healthcare knowledge. I am happy with the company I am with. I dislike the fact that I don’t know more about all aspects of healthcare revenue cycle; if I was to quit my job today I would only be able to find something compatible in one area at this time. I don’t like that I don’t try to take in more knowledge and get involved with healthcare entities that work to improve healthcare standards, etc.
    Education: I like that I’m in school currently trying to get a degree. I dislike that I didn’t stay in school when I initially started. It’s been hard for me to stay focused and enjoy school now. I don’t like that I ‘m just in school for ‘a degree’ rather than the interest in just wanting to learn something new for continuing education.
    Finances: I feel that I’m finally making the amount of money that’s worth my current knowledge; especially with no college degree. I do not like that my debt to income ratio is not that great. I was so much better with my finances when I was younger than I am now. Now that I do make more money, most of it goes towards paying off debt. It has been a work in progress but is slowly but surely getting together. I’ve reached out to Debt focus organizations to assist me.
    Health: I like that I’m working out more and going to spiritual worship on a regular. Though, it does bother me that I started all of this just when things started to get rough in my life. These areas need to be more important to me on a regular, not just when I’m down. I do like though that this time with my fitness, I’ve reached out for help and joined fitness challenges with friends and coworkers. Also, with my spirituality, I’ve taken the initiative to get a bible study conducted with me weekly. As far as mental health, that’s still a work in progress as I don’t meditate much. Once I start though, I’d love to teach myself how to think/focus only on the positive.
    Family: I love that I have a close relationship with my mom and sister. It helps that we all live within 10 minutes apart. I don’t like that I’m not as close with my brother and/or father. Plus, it bothers me that I don’t reach out to my grandparents and call them more often. The lack of relationship with the males in my family I’m sure has a lot to do with the relationships I’ve built with significant others.
    Relationships: I currently have 10 strong friendships that I’ve had since I was 10 years old. I can call on them at anytime within my life. They are a huge part of my life and I love them dearly. As of now, I don’t have any romantic partners; which I’m not happy about. I will say I don’t like that the partners that I have had (within the last 5 years) there were always early signs to show me it wouldn’t work but they were ignored. These men were different from me, which isn’t necessarily bad, but the difference weren’t habits that I wanted to learn and start doing myself. I think I stayed around to see if they would changed, rather than realizing I couldn’t accept them totally for themselves. Also, I have to learn I can’t take care of any man…we have to be of some equal value in certain areas.

  25. Phew! kind of hard, but I found something interesting about my life:
    not everything is gray :) .
    (Also, if you find weird my English, I would really appreciate if you could advice me how to improve it ;) )

    1. Lifestyle
    PROS: Until a few years ago I was living a difficult situation, but I took a decision that I don’t regret. I feel freer than ever, and I think my life is taking a turn to good. Now is time to fix all the damage I suffered, keep the good things, and dump the bad ones. I want to change and live my life to the fullest.
    I have a lot of bad habits I want to remove, and I want to spend my life in a better way than being depressed all day. I want to change.

    CONS: Almost all time I’m at home, I lock myself in my room with my laptop, and spend all day doing homework (still at college). I feel afraid of exposing myself, so I feel safer being alone. I don’t watch tv but I watch thousands of anime. I don’t take care of myself until it’s too late, and I don’t have enought self-esteem.

    2. Work
    I’m studying the last semester of my career, and I don’t work, so I guess my workplace it’s at school…
    PROS: I like my school because it’s one of the best in my country. It has good plans, installations, work contacts, and the people here it’s kind and friendly. The school promotes values through classes, and has a decent exigency level.

    CONS: It takes up all of my time, but I think that’s because I don’t know how to organize.

    3. Education
    I study computer science.
    PROS: I’m good at what I do, and I think I’m kind of smart. I have good intuition and I enjoy solving problems. I have programmed since I was 12 years old and I think it’s kind of cool. I love going to programming tournaments, because of the adrenaline of thinking fast, and finding creative solutions.

    CONS: I don’t know If I am dedicating myself to what I really love, or I just want to do something that looks interesting and feel recognized by others. Sometimes I feel I’m stupid, and I’m just lying that I know a lot, when really I’m ignorant, but I feel ashamed to say it.
    Also I feel there are a lot of classes (in which I was supposed to be interested) that I didnt fully take advantage of, because I didn’t pay enough attention, but I had so many problems, that I didnt care. I feel that I have to do a lot of self-study to catch up.
    I want to find things that really passionate me, and not do them because I want to impress others of how smart I am.

    4. Finanzas.
    Well, I still live with my father so I don’t have any finantial problems, but I think that soon I will have to start thinking of taking care of myself.
    PROS: I never have debts.
    CONS: I’m bad with money managment.

    5. Health.
    PROS: Mental – I feel that I’m starting to know myself.
    Soul – I’ve been taking an interest on Budism, because of the meditation.
    CONS: Health – I don’t do any king of excercise. Sometimes I eat a lot, I think I’m getting fat.
    Mental – Still have a lot of traumas, fears.

    6. Family
    PROS: My relation with my father has been improving a lot recently, and I really like it. My relation with my brother and sister is decent.
    CONS: I only see my father’s family one time a year. Recently I’ve fighting a lot with my sister. I don’t communicate a lot with my brother, unless he calls.

    7. Relations
    PROS: I think thought I’m not a good talker, I’m a good hearer. There are people like my father who say that they like to speak with me, because I give good advice and always give my honest opinion about a situation. In my highschool I was the best friend of 3 friends because they really trusted me, and they really enjoyed talking with me. Nowdays I just keep one of those good friends. I had a girlfriend who really loved me, the problem was that I don’t have the ability to give love and i neglected the relationship.

    CONS:I have problems speaking with large groups, because I think I might say something stupid.Usually I don’t search my friends, and I don’t care my relationships.

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  27. I enjoyed this exercise, btw
    I’ll share Lifestyle, work, and education

    Lifestyle: Likes–i like that i live the way i want for the most part, i’m 26 and I am much closer to my ideal lifestyle. My diet is on point and the way I use my time is improving greatly–very little tv, always focusing on enjoying the moment w/o neglecting other parts of my life and doing activities to feed my soul.
    Dislikes–I cant seem to get going on a workout regimen. I’m an athlete but i dont like to “workout” in the formal sense so I’ve been looking for an activity I can afford. I don’t like that I’m not involved in my neighborhood community. I’ve only been in this city for 9 months and I know these things can take time. I would like, however, to live in a neighborhood that’s more peaceful. Lastly, I don’t like that I haven’t started to grow my own food. That’s a goal for this year.

    Work: Likes–I’m an artist/intellectual/free spirit who is not established, so I love that my job doesnt take up much mental space or more time than I allow. It helps me in keeping my life simple while I get rid of old habits and establish better ones and keeps me consistent, which is something I value. Also, I’m receiving my first full time work experience and first year off from school since I was 4 so I’m extremely grateful for the experience.
    Dislikes–I don’t like the fact that it’s something I don’t want to do, that it’s a “9 to 5″, that I’m expected to sit all day, also it seems to be easy to get fired so that creates a little stress for me, lastly it’s not the best environment but tolerable

    Education: Likes–I like that I received degrees that align with me internally, my formal and informal education have taught me how to live. I’m grateful for that because my background says that I should not live a full and satisfying life. I like that I have a graduate degree at a young age and received information that many do not have access to. I like that I did what I wanted to do in school.
    Dislikes–I don’t like the debt that I’ve acquired, but I’m first generation and I had no idea what I was doing. I don’t like that my degrees have not translated into desirable employment, something material or technical (in this world). I don’t like that my education can sometimes make me less relatable to others.

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  29. As like everyone else this life assessment was tough. I did find out that I am happy with a lot of things that take place in my life. Here’s just a bit of what I discovered.

    With all this being said. I discovered that I need to work towards get my paralegal degree, so I can have a job with hours that work for my family. Continue to apply for day time jobs(we have to eat.Work on making freelance writing and management my main career, since I have a passion for both. Spend more time with my children and be more active, patient, and involved with them. Tithe more. Make time to get out and mingle. I need to get involved with volunteer work and start my non-profit organization for young African-American females. Overall I am happy with the direction my life is going, because it is on a path to greatness. It just needs to be more focused and tweaked a little.

  30. Happy Day 2 ladies, even though I’m coming in toward the end of it! After reading some of the posts, I see that there were a lot of similarities between a lot of us in some areas. So, here I go…

    The major areas that stood out were Lifestyle, Work, and Finances.

    Lifestyle: I actually have a social life! That was a non-existent area of my life for quite a while. My mid-20s have allowed me to be more confident to just get out there and pursue interests. I’ve joined organizations that I care about and had the chance to meet people through activities like this, and they have nothing to do with work!

    Which brings me to my next area: Work. I love that I’m in an industry that I have a passion for (non-profit orgs that focus on kids) but what I dislike is that it hasn’t turned into a full-time career. I don’t do it for the money, but in reality, I gotta live :-)

    Finances: it’s such a sore spot! On a positive note, I applaud that for the past 3 months or so, I’ve consistently tithed and put money toward savings. But, I don’t have my rainy day fund and there are a lot of other areas where money is the deciding factor.

    Now, that the tough part is done, I’m ready for Day 3! See ya tomorrow ladies. Follow me @Kit_Kat_PR

  31. Today was hard but I recognize when I find employment all the things I’ve started to work on now will really be able to take root and I’ll be able to walk in the life I am planning. I do also recognize in the meantime I can build a better relationship with my family and be more available for my friends.

  32. Day 2 was cathartic. Here are my answers. I didn’t post them at my blog because some of this stuff is too personal for my readers. I share a lot of personal stuff there, but not generally stuff people can use against me.

    Lifestyle
    Like: I like our apartment just fine, considering we were practically homeless for almost a year before that. I LOVE our new city, though. It’s got everything I love, including art, culture, events, etc, and it’s a large city in the midwest–two thing I love.
    Dislike: I’ve been too much of a homebody. I had to be for the longest time because I was raising my daughter, and parenthood is all about the stable homelife. But I dislike that I spend too much time at home now that I don’t necessarily have to. I also wish I was more productive in my home. My discipline collapses at the front door, it seems.

    Work
    Like: I just got a new job, and I love it. I’ve had this job before. I teach remedial English to community college students, and I much prefer the clientele of the community college as opposed to a traditional university. The students seem much more determined and way less whiny. I love that I have so much to offer in this department, and that it is a way for me to earn a living and give back to my community, which has offered me so much when I needed it.
    Dislike: I dislike that I can only teach remedial English because of my degree status. Having only a Bachelor’s degree really limits what I can teach, and I miss teaching Comp & Literature. I also dislike that I tend to get caught up in drama at previous jobs I’ve held and wish I could get a better handle on emtoional balance at work.

    Education
    Like: I like that I am the first member of my immediate family to get a 4-year degree from a regular university. I like that I graduated with something like 165 credit hours, even though I only needed 123, because I love learning and I got to learn a lot.
    Dislike: I dislike that I can’t afford to get the next degree, whether that be a Master degree or something terminal, like an MFA. And I dislike that I feel too old to make it worthwhile to go back.

    Finances
    Like: I like that I have a lot more immediate financial stability since I got married. I like that I am able to earn more since graduating college. And I like that I manage my money well for month-to-month expenses like rent, utilities, groceries, etc.
    Dislike: I dislike that I am saddled with so much in student loans, and especially that the fees and penalties due to the fact that I couldn’t pay for some time have meant my payback amount is more than double what I borrowed, and that it doubled in less than 10 years. I think that is criminal and not my fault. I wish the laws regarding student debt would change. I also dislike that I can’t afford medical care or insurance. Or lessons for things I want to learn, or much in the way of travel.

    Health
    Like: I like that I’m petite and that I drink a lot of water, and that I have all my life. I think this simple lifelong habit may save me from some of my bad choices if I can get a handle on them.
    Dislike: I smoke and I hate it. I dislike that I don’t have a healthier diet and that I can’t seem to maintain a workout schedule.

    Family
    Like: I like the relationships I have with my mom, my husband and my daughter. Those are the best relationships I have. I also like that me and my sister are growing closer.
    Dislike: I dislike that I’m not closer to my brother, but he’s not one for reaching out much. I’m not a big fan of his wife, either, though I am happy he found her and that she makes him happy. Now my in-laws are a mess. I dislike them and their ways very much, and my husband and I have had to cut off contact with them for the most part because they insist on attacking me, my daughter, and our marriage. I don’t see how that can be fixed as long as they refuse to take responsibility for their actions and continue to interfere in matters that don’t concern them.

    Relationships
    Like: I like that I am a “people person” and easy to relate to. I like that people are drawn to my sense of humor and wit. I like to help people and offer solutions, and I like that that resonates with good people.
    Dislike: I dislike that I am impatient at times and that it effects my relationships. I also dislike that one of my oldest friends basically abandoned me because she did not agree with my political choices. I dislike that I am not more consistently and openly grateful for my friendships.
    Read my latest blog post…31 Days to Reset

  34. Well, as you can see, I am a little behind…. That said, this exercise was pretty heady. I decided to do all my likes and then all my dislikes and wouldn’t you know it, the likes are cute bullet points while the dislikes are huge paragraphs!

    Lifestyle
    PROS: I have a nice place to live in a city that I love. I have many opportunities (many cheap or free) to enjoy and explore the city and learn something new.
    CONS: I live with my grandmother. Don’t get me wrong; I adore her but I just never thought I would be living with again after high school. I don’t like having to drive everywhere. Gas is crazy, the air is terrible and you miss so much of the life happening all around you while you’re stuck behind the wheel. I spend way too much time parked in front of the tv or online and I haven’t travelled beyond the US borders in ages!

    Work
    PROS: I have a lot of potential to do better.
    CONS: I work for myself. Sort of. I have lost track of how many times I’ve been let go after making a great first impression. Now I feel so paralyzed that I can’t seem to push through to do whatever it is I’m purposes to do.

    Education
    PROS: I appreciate my education. It gives me a lot of options.
    CONS: My education created a lot of expectations that I haven’t met. That really freaks me out. I sometimes wonder if I should have studied something else but I don’t think I’m up for a cooking class, let alone more grad school!

    Finances
    PROS: I have money in my wallet and a little in the bank.
    CONS: I really dislike being broke.

    Health
    PROS: I look really good for my age and don’t have any serious health issues like diabetes, STDs, high cholesterol, etc. I am able to see the good and positive in most things (these responses notwithstanding!). I know that I am a child of God, His unique creation, and He loves me. The peace that knowing generates is powerful, especially when the world is freaking out around me.
    CONS: Though I don’t look it, I am SO out of shape. Don’t let an elevator be out and I have to get to the third floor! My spiritual health is restless because I was raised in the Baptist church by my minister grandfather but I get so little from it. I’m interested in other approaches to God but I’m not ready to break with the family church. Mentally, I am challenged. I wonder if I have ADHD or something. So much distraction and too little focus. Remember the dog in “Up”? That’s me. Squirrel!

    Family
    PROS: My grandmother and I are incredibly close. She’s my angel and at 90, she is super fierce! My mother and sister and I grow closer every week. They believe in me fiercely.
    CONS: My relationship with my father and brothers is technical at best. I wish all of my family and I were closer.

    Relationships
    PROS: I am loved by an incredible man and I have a core group of friends that always has my back.
    CONS: I have a hard time expressing love. I’ll crack a joke or make a snarky or self deprecating remark before saying “I love you”. That really sucks.

    Whew. I’m exhausted but thankful to get this out so I can move on to the next assignments and improvements.

  35. Okay I am late entering my post for day 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. I will do better, I promise. I must say writing my assessment was not as easy as I thought it would be. Actually it was a bit uncomfortable when I realized that I have some issues I never knew where there.

    To read my assessment you can check out my blog http://soulexposed2u.wordpress.com/31-days/day-2/.

  36. Day 2 and all is well! Ok, so my life isn’t all daisies and roses as I make it out to be. But it isn’t all dungeons and dragons either. And, I am willing to put in the work that it takes to make that change (cue Michael Jackson’s Man in the Mirror).

    What I love is my relationship with my friends, my house, how far I’ve been able to advance in my career considering I don’t have a degree and that, overall, I’m healthy (meaning no illnesses and mentally stable – although some might disagree on that last one, lol).

    What I dislike is that I am a renter, that my finances are in a mess, I’m about 15 or so (haha) pounds overweight (thank God for the ability to hold in my belly on command!), and I can’t remember the last time my family had a family reunion. I know we haven’t had one since my mom died…and that was in 2000.

    Again, all these things are in my control and on my “TO DO FOR REAL THIS TIME” list.
    Read my latest blog post…Team Londa

    • The good thing is that sometimes the assessment is really the hardest part. When I did my Reset this year, it prompted me to take a good look at my finances, starting with my credit report. I kept saying I wanted to “work” on my finances, but I wasn’t clear on what that meant until I saw the big picture.

  38. Pingback: #31DayReset Day 3: Write a Love Letter to Your Future Self | Happy Black Woman | Helping Women Design Their Ideal Lives

  40. Pingback: #31DayReset: Day 2 – Take an Honest Assessment of Your Life « Chan&theCity

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  47. While doing this excercise I noticed that I could easily write down my dislikes about each particular sections, but the likes were hard. I guess I am focusing on the bad rather than the good going on in my life.

    Some of the sections that really opened up my eyes were the family section and relationships. The hardest one that I found to complete was the lifestyle; I need work in that area.

    Full respones at: http://walkingthroughhoney.blogspot.com/p/31-days-to-reset-your-life-challenge.html

  48. Finances: Like: I’m thankful I’m able to take care of my basic needs with some room for fun.
    Dislike: Not having a savings or rainy day fund. This is something I am working on currently. I do not want to be stuck without something to fall back on.

    Work: Again thankful that I have a job, thankful that I found a job so quickly upon moving to a new city. However, this job is not my passion. I am not excited about what I do, and it is a living, not a life.
    Read my latest blog post…2011: It Was A Very Good Year

  49. Finances: At this point “hate” is the word that I would use to describe how I feel about my current financial situation. I notice that all areas in my life that are tied to this e.g. living arrangement is a big source of discontentment for me. I know that I do not need a traditional job to maintain my sufficiency, but I get mentally stuck. Today’s exercise reiterated my personal mantra which is: “There is no lack or limitation in the universe.” I need to really change my perception about this area of my life. I like & appreciate the fact that I am not homeless, but at this point I am tired of just “surviving.”

  50. Doing today’s excerise has opened my eyes to many things.

    Work
    I really don’t like what I am doing as a career. I too do not have a passion for what I do. I’m blessed to have a job and am happy with the fact that I have an income.

    Finance
    I like that I don’t have any credit card debit. I have started a 401k account.
    I don’t like the fact that I don’t have a savings and that I am still paying on a student loan.

    Education
    I don’t like the fact that I chose not to finish working toward my college degree.

  54. Pingback: #31 Day Reset Day 2: Take an Honest Assessment of Your Life « Love Bran

  55. I’ve done this exercise before and I’m surprised at the differences and/or similarities that I am noticing.

    One Like/Dislike that sticks out to me and that has been on my mind is: Work.

    I am SO grateful to have a job. Especially, finding a well paying job 2 months after graduating with a Master’s Degree. For that I can’t complain.

    I dislike and struggle with the fact that my job is not a passion. It is something I do to make money, but it’s nothing that I get excited about. It doesn’t keep me moving and motivated everyday.

    Health — Like that I cook at home and eat healthy foods. Dislike that I have stopped running. I used to be a runner, but have recently lost the motivation to run.

    Relationship- Like that I have a supportive boyfriend. Dislike the amount of time we spend together. We both have limited time and we don’t use the time we do have together in a meaningful way.
    Read my latest blog post…3 Sure-fire Ways to Increase Your Vocabulary and Have Folks Listen to You

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