Are You Thriving?

Change starts by making an honest assessment of your life.  It is easy to get used to your circumstances and to think life can’t be much better than how it is now.  But that is not true.  A very simple tool to assess your life is the Thriving Scale.

Everyone finds themselves hanging on by their fingernails from time to time.  Life can be hard.  Medical issues, financial stress, relational conflict, Covid can push anyone to the place where you don’t know how long you can continue to function in any kind of normal manner.  But some people are stuck at this level.  They live in crisis mode.  Everything is hard for them.  Nothing seems to be working right.

You are eroding if your life appears to be in order, but you have habits that are undermining your stability and strength.  You could be neglecting your health, drinking too much, or living in a dysfunctional relationship that, over time, may very well push you to the place where you are just hanging on by your fingernails.

You are treading water if you have settled into a pattern of living that is good but isn’t going anywhere.  You are good at your job but not challenged.  You vacation at the same place and on the same date year after year.  You hang out with the same people and do the same things you have for years.  Your life is a little like “Groundhog Day”.

You are growing if you are learning and expanding.  You are learning new skills, exploring new hobbies, taking on new roles at work that stretch you.  You can feel your life getting stronger and richer.  You are becoming a more interesting and useful person.

You are thriving when you know what is special about you and you are doing life your way.  Every day you are creatively engaged, perfectly balanced, and fully alive.  You are at the top of your game and feel the power and value of your life and gifts in all that you do.

There is no judgment if you are a 1 or a 2 on the Thriving Scale.  The invitation is to be honest about your situation and then to decide if you are ready to take responsibility to move to the next level.

Where are you on the Thriving Scale?  Are you ready to grow?  Please send your answers to me at [email protected].