It’s that time of year again – time for a well-being check-up. Summer is winding down and a new season lies ahead. It is the right time to think deeply about you.

I feel pretty strongly that, on a regular basis, each of us should pause and take stock of the state of our lives. Am I happy? Am I content? How do I feel about myself? Those three diagnostic questions are a way of asking yourself, “How am I?”

So…how are you?

On the happiness scale, from depressed to joyful, where do you find yourself today?

On the contentment scale, from anxiety-ridden to satisfied, where would you place yourself?

And on the self-worth scale, from self-loathing to self-confident, where are you?

Let’s get specific.

I believe well-being can be measured more precisely by examining six key life factors that inform our state of existence. They are – physical health, internal (mind, heart, soul) health, focus and order, relationships, finances and purpose/calling. Any one of those factors, when out of whack, can cause our answer to the “How am I?” question to be “Lousy!” Unfortunately, most of us don’t have just one of those six factors trending down. This is why getting real with ourselves and others about the state of our well-being can be fraught with tension and sadness. Perhaps you’ve ignored your state of decline for too long. “Lousy” may have given way to “dumpster fire” in your self-assessment.

If so, settle down and relax for a moment. Stop with the self-incrimination for a minute and stay with me over the next few weeks as I walk you through a simple process of well-being enhancement. There is hope.

Here’s what we’ll do.

We’ll take a look at each of those six factors one at a time. I’ll give you some diagnostic questions to help you get a better handle on the state of each life factor. It won’t be pretty, but you’ll get an accurate picture of you. You’ll then have something to work with. Nobody gets better without first looking in a mirror.

Next, I’ll help you dream. Once you know the truth, you’ll be able to imagine a better future, a better you. This will be fun. Dreaming is something you do not do enough of!

Then, armed with a beautiful dream of what could be, I’ll help you set a few specific, measurable goals for each factor that can help get you there. We’re gonna work hard to keep it to just a few goals, because too many is a sure way to “forget about it!”

Finally, once your goals are set, we can put rubber to the road and identify a few habits (repetitive routines) that will animate you toward achieving your goals.

Dreams + Goals + Habits = the road to well-being. Practice a few effective habits that lead to accomplishing a few smart goals and, in time, dreams begin to materialize.

Simple enough? I hope so! Stay tuned. Oh, and, if you think of someone who, along with you, might benefit from some healthy introspection and personal dreaming, please forward this to them and invite them along on this well-being journey!

My sincere desire is that soon you will be able to answer the “How are you?” question with “You know, I’m on a journey but I have some hope!”