I recently read something that I thought was pretty interesting. I apologize because I’m not sure who to credit and where I read it, but to be clear I’m borrowing an idea…

  1. What’s working in your life? Why is it working?
  2. What’s not working in your life? Why isn’t it?

It’s such a simple moment of self reflection, yet it’s so powerful. I think this is a great way to take stock of life.

For example, I could say that:

  1. my gym routine is really working for me right now. I’m attending at least three spin classes a week, and at least two cross fit type classes. The times are blocked off on my calendar a week ahead of time and I am making the time to go to them.
  2. My kitchen cabinet organization is not working for me right now. Ever since I got the new fridge and did some overhauls, I have been unable to come up with an effective plan. It’s not working because I’m trying to repurpose some of the products (lazy susan’s and bins) that I used before, and the flow is just off. While I don’t like to get rid of perfectly good stuff (don’t worry- I donate) I have to just bite the bullet and cart them away.

I’m going to try to do this little exercise at the end of every month when I’m planning for the new month. If I can make little tweaks and adjustments throughout the year, I think maybe things can go even smoother. While I’m not aiming for perfection, having things in order helps when one is faced with unforeseen circumstances. There’s nothing like living through a crisis of some sort to see where the cracks in the foundation are.

So what is and isn’t working in your life and why? How can you fix it?

Reflect and discuss:

40 thoughts on “If So, Why”

  1. I’ve been upping my sustainable living factor, so repurposing heavy plastic kitchen storage and replacing with glass jars and such, changing over to bar soaps and shampoos, creating green cleaning products so it’s been sort of a total and slow redo progression. I’m actually enjoying finding new ways to use or reuse rather than filling up the garbage with plastic so the creative challenges of those tasks is working for me!

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  3. LOL – nothing is working well right now because our house is a mess! But…we’re in the wicked middle part of remodeling fun (wink) and I’m reminding myself that I’m grateful we can do what we’re doing. I love that you’re not missing your spin commitments…I’m trying. Yesterday I got feedback that I was 85% with the beat during a class that kicked my butt. Good encouragement to keep at it! 🥰

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  4. I like the doing of both, the asking of why and of why-not, as in the slightly paraphrased Shaw “You see things as they are and ask, ‘Why?’ I dream things as they never were and ask, ‘Why not?’”

    We have been very pleased with our new-ish (well, a few years old) diet, but we’re still making tweaks and are always on the lookout for new additions (now you know why I hone in on your food photos 😁)

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  5. So far everything has been working out perfectly. We are finally settled in retirement, are finances are in good shape, I am walking well over 10,000 steps per day, I started playing pickle ball, my body weight is dropping along with my daily fasting glucose numbers. The things that weren’t working for me I have completely changed over the years.

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  6. What is working is my exercise for my hip (the PT on my own, the virtual yoga/tai chi, YouTube) are working. What is not working is my thinking all the time about returning to work on my feet in the fall and worrying. Worrying is not good, so I will see how I am in July.

    I hope you head over to my blog and answer a question about a box lost that you really want to find.

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  8. Life in general isn’t working and I’m not sure how to fix it short of throwing everything out and starting fresh. Thanks for the great prompts though. Maybe they will help me get settled again.

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  9. My attitude is in shambles today, it’s not working for me, but against me. I’m trying to make adjustments but I’m stubborn. I’m supposed to be writing but I’m reading as a distraction and stumbled on your questions. Oh my, life is rich. Bahaha, you made me smile at the irony of it all. Hugs, C

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  10. Those are simple and effective questions. What’s working for me getting back in the pool and swimming three days per week. It makes me really tired, but I now I’ll build up tolerance and strength. What’s not working is we have had to many social invitations and then reciprocate. We’re learning to say no and won’t go out more than once or twice a week.

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  11. What’s working is my social life. I am part of a great MeetUp group, getting to know a variety of people and enjoying so many different activities. Even dancing, which I hadn’t done in almost 30 years. What’s not working is the clutter in my cabinets and closets, something that drives me crazy but I have no motivation to do.

    And kudos to you for all the exercise you get!

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  13. I know you read a lot of self-help books, but I think you may have hit on the best nugget of all. Right now I can’t even begin to think that way as we are in our period of transitioning from one state to another for 6 months. I thought things were going OK, and then we got hit with a medical issue where one particular prescription can’t be transferred from one state to another. Seriously? we have fentanyl and other opioids pouring across our borders and yet a doctor can’t prescribe a 6 months supply of a non-opioid drug and we have to be tracked on a computer to buy a box of Sudafed? Crazy world! (I guess my answer turned into a rant, but I do think your questions are both valid and valuable!)

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  15. What’s working for me? Well, I like the SPAM t-shirt I’m wearing today. It’s nice and comfy and the weather is perfect for it.

    Not working? I’m trying to come up with topics for three blog posts for a plant-based nutrition company. I think the shirt is both ironic, and messing with my ability to come up with interesting things to write about.

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  17. They’re such great questions, aren’t they? My answers:

    What’s going well is my being more “me” in my business marketing.
    What’s not going well is my change in working schedule, although I think I’m close to figuring out how to re-organise it better. But the why is because I was trying to let it just happen without working out a new plan! 😀

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