"Life Diamond"

by Ronald C. Reece, Ph.D.

Every individual, or family situation I deal with I will access the circumstances based on this concept. The four quadrants of Self, Work, Family, and Society obviously are where each of us spends energy and time as we go through life day-to-day. As I make my assessment. I will request, tell me about yourself, your family, your work and tell me about your activities. What do you do? How do you feel about what you are doing and the relationships you are involved in? What excites you and concerns you about yourself, your family, your work, etc. I listen for the distress, the negatives, the positives and the defining elements of personal or family resilience. In each quadrant, there are energy draining and energy replenishing actions that we can choose.

Examples might be:

Self - academic achievement, personal health, physical exercise, spirituality;

Work - employment, job seeking, professional goals, economic return;

Family - marriage, relationships, children, extended family relations; and

Society - social organizations, friends, IRS, politics, etc.

At different points in life, the demands and time spent in any one area may be greater and therefore the other areas are neglected. A mother with three small children will likely have little time to focus on self. The new business owner will be immersed in business such that the Diamond is significantly over weighted in the work quadrant. Extended time and energy in one area will mean lost opportunities or lost relationships that often cannot be recaptured. On any given day or week or perhaps for several months at a time the diamond may be off balance. But over a lifetime hopefully balance will prevail.

Now take a sheet of paper and draw a diamond, your diamond. First of all, which quadrants are most weighted right now? Now make a list of at least three things in each quadrant that take energy away from you. Ask yourself, are these necessary? Do I have to or need to continue them? Why? Why not? Do the same with three things in each area that replenish you. Ask yourself, when is the last time I've done them? When will I do them again?

It is frequent that some activities will be both draining and replenishing. I suggest this Life Diamond assessment be done two-three times a year and adjustments be made aimed at balance. Being mindful in this way will brighten your diamond.

© Reece & Associates, P.A.