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Are you living your ideal life? Take our quiz to find out

Answer yes or no to the following questions and click ‘calculate total’ to see your score out of 20.

Yes

No

Question
I know my strengths and natural talents and I have the opportunity to use them often.
I feel a sense of purpose in life and know what makes my life meaningful.
I feel that I can be true to myself and have defined my own version of success.
I have a clear idea of three important things I would like to achieve in the next twelve months and I know how I will reach these goals.
I know how to break my bigger goals into manageable steps that I can action.
I feel a sense of connection with something bigger than myself (this might be nature, art or some form of spirituality).
I enjoy my work and feel that what I do is aligned with my values.
I am comfortable to challenge myself from time to time to build my confidence.
I feel free to communicate in an open and honest way in my important relationships.
I feel that I'm living a life that is authentic and true for me.
I know how to say no when I need to.
I have a few clear longer term goals but I'm also flexible about changing my goals when they no longer feel so important.
I have a supportive network of friends who encourage me to live in accordance with my values.
I accept that life will be a mix of positive and negative experiences. On the difficult days, I remind myself that things won't stay the same forever.
I have a life partner who makes me happy and we continue to work on our relationship OR I enjoy being single and have supportive people around me.
I make a conscious effort to live mindfully. I'm doing things that bring me into the present moment and I do my best to stay open, curious and compassionate.
I take care of my mental, physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
I make time to find joy in my life. This includes engaging in activities I find energising, uplifting or restorative and includes some creative activity, even if I don't consider myself to be traditionally creative.
I trust my intuition. I listen to my heart as much as my head.
I feel that my life has some degree of order to it but I'm not bound by perfectionism.
Calculate Total

You achieved a score of

You're probably ready to begin to make some changes in your life.

You've taken the first step by taking the quiz. You might find it helpful to seek some support as you begin to change your life. Please get in touch if you feel that a personal coaching session would help.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy my monthly articles that include tips about how to begin to create positive change in your life.

You achieved a score of

You're doing pretty well but there are some areas of your life that still need attention. Create some clear objectives to achieve in the coming few months and ask a friend to help you stay on track.

If you get stuck, you may like to participate in a personal coaching session.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy my monthly articles that include tips about how to begin to create positive change in your life.

You achieved a score of

You're well on your way to personal success. You're probably the kind of person who enjoys setting new goals so maybe now is a good time to think about which areas of your life you'd like to focus on next.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy my monthly articles that include tips about how to begin to create positive change in your life.

You achieved a score of

Congratulations, you're already living a meaningful and positive life.

Keep a copy of your score and review the quiz every three months to make sure you stay on track.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy my monthly articles that include tips about how to begin to create positive change in your life.

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Uncertainty has been a consistent theme in my life at the moment. With clients, friends, family and even for me at a personal level.I feel hugely grateful for mindfulness practices during times like these and I’ve also found the following five steps to be helpful.1. Find pockets of certainty, wherever you canTidy the house, sort your finances, clean out your wardrobe, organise your paperwork, plan your meals for a week. Making the small things around you feel ordered and beautiful will help you to feel a little more at peace.2. Appreciate the things that make your life beautifulOne of the things I became aware of while we were on holiday in Tassie was how much natural beauty was around us every day. Try engaging your sense of gratitude with every meal you eat, every friendly encounter, every interaction with nature and every opportunity you have to experience or engage in creativity.3. Make time for practices that are genuinely soothingIf meditation isn’t your thing (and it isn’t for many people), try a different form of mindful relaxation. On a recent Insight Timer Live we explored this topic together and came up with dancing, singing, reading, walking, yoga, pilates, gardening, playing, sketching, painting, skiing, paddle boarding, surfing. The most important thing is that you make time for whatever it is that brings you some calm. 4. Acknowledge your feelings and offer yourself compassionMake room for all of the emotions – the fear, anxiety, worry, sadness, anger, frustration and powerlessness. Notice where you feel those emotions in your body and offer yourself genuine compassion.5. Make peace with uncertainty, as best you canWe won’t feel uncertainty every day but it’s likely that we’ll experience it often in our lives and we’ll probably always find it difficult. Remind yourself that nothing will stay the same forever and you’re strong enough to handle this. ✨
“May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.” Nelson Mandela ✨
“And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” John Muir ✨
A follow on from last week’s post about aspiring to simplicity. I’m on holiday in Tasmania where I was lucky enough to live for ten years. Yesterday, as we drove through the countryside, I was struck by a lovely memory. At around the age of 12, I spotted many abandoned little cottages, very much like this one. I knew at the time that the simple beauty was all that I would ever want and need in my lifetime. A humble home surrounded by plenty of nature. I had a picture of myself planting a garden, reading by the fire, writing at a little wooden desk and baking in an old fashioned kitchen. Maybe one day having my own children and sharing my love of nature with them. Almost 50 years later, it’s still all of these things that fill me with joy and give my life meaning. I think most of us knew ourselves well at that age yet often, we lost trust in what we believed in and started shaping ourselves to please other people. Can you remember what it was you dreamed of? ✨
An invitation to go a little more gently this week. To let go of some of your striving. To notice the things that you already have. And to make sure that you really do treasure them. ✨💛
Since writing last week's post, I've had my value of 'inner harmony' front of mind, because it's something I don't always find easy.I've been a worrier all my life, so even after years of meditation practice, I sometimes find it hard to create a quiet mind – unless I'm immersed in nature. When Chris encouraged me to try paddle boarding a few years ago, I had no idea if I'd be able to do it. I'm not naturally sporty so things like this don't come easily. But something magical happened when I first stood on that board and looked into the beautiful clear water.I felt (and still feel) transported to a place that removes me from all of my worries. I become immersed in the wonder beneath me. The forests of seaweed, the schools of fish, the way the sunlight creates patterns on the seabed and once, we paddled with dolphins. All of it is truly magical (and quite miraculous that I can keep my balance). I didn't mention last week that one of my other values is courage, which is the one I embraced when I first went out onto the water.The irony is that some of the moments that bring the most peace are made possible when I do something that scares me. ✨
One of the things I do with almost every new client I work with is a values exercise. It's such a powerful tool to help you identify what really matters in your life. Once you've chosen your personal values, you begin to understand why certain choices, places or relationships, feel so right. And why others really don’t. Your values will help you make meaningful choices that shape how you live every day. And as soon as you start living in alignment with your values, your life immediately becomes more meaningful.Do you know your top three values? I’d love you to share them if you do. Mine are inner harmony, kindness and connection. As well as connection with others and myself, this includes a deep sense of connection with nature which is why we live where we do. 🌿 If you’re interested to discover your values, I’ve included a link in my bio to an easy exercise that will help you gain clarity on yours. It really can be life-changing. ✨
This morning on @insighttimer Live, I spoke about the practice of gratitude and how research has found it to be an antidote to many physical and psychological challenges.It can improve sleep, reduce fatigue, and lower levels of cellular inflammation. One study found that those who practice on a regular basis experience less depression and are more resilient following traumatic events.Another called it “the mother of all virtues”, in that it encourages other virtues such as patience, humility, and wisdom.In my own life, it has been a daily practice for a few decades now. At the end of each day, an app on my phone called Grateful sounds a reminder and allows me to add a few words and photos.The best thing is that I now have a collection of my favourite memories that I can scroll through at any time. I took this pic just over a week ago at our local beach. At the end of an afternoon of swimming and paddling with Meg and me, Oscar said, “Grandma, that was the best day ever.” I love that he’s already grateful for the simple pleasures. ☀️
Five ways to be more true to yourself this year.I spent so much of my time in my twenties and thirties doing things to please other people instead of trusting myself and listening to my heart. It wasn't until I found the courage to accept that I might be criticised no matter what I chose that I found the courage to be true to myself. And I can honestly tell you, it's life changing. I hope the following quick tips help. 1. Let go of the idea that you need to do what’s expected of you. In Bronnie Ware's book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, number one on the list is, "I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me."2. Believe that you’re strong enough to handle some criticism. It might still be hurtful but after a short amount of time, that hurt will pass. The more you're being real, the less critical you'll be of yourself, and that's energising.3. Trust that you already know what fulfills you. Often when I meet a new client they tell me they don't know what they want. Once we get talking, it turns out that they do, but like all of us, it can be confronting to be really honest with themselves. 4. Give up one thing that hasn’t been serving you. This can be literally anything. Whatever it is that you choose, do it from a place of self-love not from a place of self-criticism.5. Take one courageous step towards the life of your dreams. It doesn't need to be huge but when you want something to change, there has to be some action taken. Make the phone call, update your profile, send (or accept) an invitation, join a class...it doesn't matter what you choose, just do something. ✨
© Kate James 2025

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We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands we live and work on, the Boonwurrung people of the Kulin Nation and pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging.

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