From Chaos to Clarity: Time to Assess How Life is Going
Life moves fast—sometimes really fast. Between career demands, family responsibilities, and personal ambitions, it’s easy to neglect your health by spreading yourself too thin. For professionals feeling burned out, taking stock of your life is a crucial first step toward reclaiming vitality and balance. In my new book, Yellow Light Moments, I emphasize the importance of performing a “Vitality Self-Evaluation” to pinpoint areas of misalignment. Let’s dive into how this process works.
Why Evaluate?
Think of a life audit as cleaning out a cluttered closet. You sort through what’s working, what’s not, and what no longer serves you. Without this reflection, you risk running on autopilot, making choices out of habit rather than intention. A vitality evaluation helps you confront blind spots, identify growth opportunities, and set the stage for lasting improvements.
Let’s review the four pillars that form the foundation of vitality:
Sleep: Are you consistently getting restorative, uninterrupted sleep?
Nutrition: Is your diet fueling your body or feeding emotions and fatigue?
Self-Care: Are you taking time to recharge mentally, emotionally and spiritually, or are you running on empty?
Movement: Does your body feel strong, stable, flexible, and energized?
Life undoubtedly ebbs and flows. Sometimes, one of more of these pillars falters, leading to instability. Evaluating each area helps pinpoint where you need to direct your attention.
Steps to Perform a Vitality Self-Evaluation
Find Your Quiet Space: Choose a time and place free from distractions to reflect honestly.
Ask Yourself Meaningful Questions: Dive into each cornerstone:
Sleep: Do I wake up feeling refreshed, or am I constantly fatigued?
Nutrition: Am I eating to nourish my body or out of stress and convenience?
Self-Care: Do I prioritize my well-being, or do I feel guilty for resting?
Movement: Am I incorporating regular exercise, or have I been sedentary?
Write It Down: Capture your answers in a journal or notebook. Seeing patterns in black and white can provide clarity.
Rate Yourself: Give each cornerstone a score from 1 to 5. This visual metric highlights which areas need the most attention.
Set a Goal: Choose one small, actionable improvement for each category.
The Yellow Light Moment Perspective
Consider these evaluations as “Yellow Light Moments”—pauses that allow you to recalibrate. Whether it’s realizing you need an earlier bedtime or committing to weekly meal prep, these moments empower you to take control of your choices.
Example: A Professional’s Vitality Check
Imagine a mid-career executive named Tom. Tom works long hours and skips workouts to meet deadlines. His evenings are spent on the couch with fast food, and his sleep is broken by stress dreams. After a vitality self-evaluation, Tom realizes:
He’s sleeping only 5–6 hours a night (rated 3/5).
His meals are largely processed or takeout (1/5).
He feels disconnected from hobbies that once brought him joy (0/5).
He hasn’t exercised in months (0/5).
Tom’s first steps? Setting a consistent bedtime, preparing healthy snacks, and scheduling a walk during lunch breaks. These small changes spark a ripple effect of positive momentum.
Take a moment to download your copy of The Vitality Scorecard by clicking here.
