This should take no more than 30 minutes. This is your life we’re talking about…you can find 30 minutes. And if you can’t …we need to talk, you and I.

How would you rate your life on a scale of 1 – 10? – Are you satisfied with that rating? What would you be satisfied with?

Write a brief description of the current state of your life. – Health, relationships, work, finances, spiritual or emotional well-being, community, etc. Whatever is going on. Just briefly jot it down.

What makes you happy? – There must be some good things, some things that bring you joy and make you laugh.

What are the drains on your energy and happiness? – What people, situations or behaviors are your kryptonite? We all have these things (or someones) that suck the life out of us like vampires draining our life force.

What isn’t working in your life? - These are the obstacles to living a satisfied life of fulfillment…Do you need to lose weight, be more organized, find a different job, end or change a relationship, manage your stress better or maybe just learn to laugh again.

Now describe your ideal life. - I’m not talking about a commercial for the “Rich and Famous,” some Hollywood fairy tale. I’m talking about what kind of life would truly make you happy to get out of bed in the morning. What would you be doing? Who would you be with? How would you be feeling?

What do you need to do to get that life?  – What needs to happen for you to get from point A to point B? Again, not a detailed outline of actions for the next 20 years, just some general goals to work toward, a few habits to adopt or a change in attitude or surroundings to adopt.

Something to think about…Why? Why do you want whatever it is that you want? What do you really want to accomplish in this life? What kind of person do you want to be? What do you want to be remembered for?

According to Familydoctor.org

Seasonal affective disorder (also called SAD) is a type of depression that is triggered by the seasons of the year. The most common type of SAD is called winter-onset depression. Symptoms usually begin in late fall or early winter and go away by summer. A much less common type of SAD, known as summer-onset depression, usually begins in the late spring or early summer and goes away by winter. SAD may be related to changes in the amount of daylight during different times of the year.

How common is SAD?

Between 4% and 6% of people in the United States suffer from SAD. Another 10% to 20% may experience a mild form of winter-onset SAD. SAD is more common in women than in men. Although some children and teenagers get SAD, it usually doesn’t start in people younger than 20 years of age. For adults, the risk of SAD decreases as they get older. Winter-onset SAD is more common in northern regions, where the winter season is typically longer and more harsh.

What are the symptoms of SAD?

Although your symptoms are clues to the diagnosis, not everyone who has SAD experiences the same symptoms. Common symptoms of winter-onset SAD include the following:

• A change in appetite, especially a craving for sweet or starchy foods
• Weight gain
• A drop in energy level
• Fatigue
• A tendency to oversleep
• Difficulty concentrating
• Irritability and anxiety
• Increased sensitivity to social rejection
• Avoidance of social situations and a loss of interest in the activities you used to enjoy

If you don’t work near a window or getting outside isn’t possible or practical, it can affect your mood, energy, sleep, appetite and more.

Daylight gently helps the body recalibrate and stabilize, improving focus, concentration and productivity. It also prompts the body’s natural sleep patterns to help with jet lag and shift work.

If you’re interested, you can find these lights on Amazon.com and most likely at your local department store.

Further reading

• Seasonal Affective Disorder (webmd.com)
• 9 Myths About Seasonal Affective Disorder (insurancequotes.org)

Image by woodleywonderworks via Flickr

We do.

Because without it we too easily slip into the complacency of taking life’s treasures for granted and complaining about petty inconveniences.

I’m not a huge Thanksgiving connoisseur; vegetarian, don’t watch football, hate cleaning up the kitchen and so on, but what I do like is that it gives us a chance to slow down for just a minute and think about those things little things that together combine to make a life worth living, a business worth growing.

Quickly, off the top of your head list 10 things you are happy to have around you; that you would hate to do without.

 My 10 things I’m grateful for right now:

Good health – Though I have my aches and pains like everyone else on the other side of 40, I am alive and fully functional.

Family – A husband who is not deployed this year, a mother and sibling who are close by, children I adore and a new grandson who I absolutely cherish.

Good friends – Steady, wise old ones and wonderfully witty new ones.

A house over my head and food on the table – In this economy…enough said.

Technology that allows me to play “Words” with my friends and family in different cities and see photos and videos of my grandson in the palm of my hand.

A good book…or 10 or 20,000. Words have power – humor, knowledge, comfort and inspiration.

Online shopping – For a busy mom, it is a lifesaver!

Music – Whether working, relaxing, dancing or even exercising, music soothes and energizes at the same time.

Laughter – Smile and brighten someone’s day; laugh and the world laughs with you.

A really good movie – Having recently been disappointed by some of the not-so-well-done productions churned out by the movie industry, I am ever so grateful for the wonderful ones that make me laugh or cry or get angry, especially a masterful work that can do all three.

What’s on your list?