Design Your Life: Start Here

I am 20 years old. I am a college student at Miami University studying Finance and Economics. I am currently a Junior which means I am in the panic portion of college! What do I do when I graduate? Where should I live? What if I didn't pick the right major and I don't like the careers in my field? So, I decided I needed to reflect on my life and where I am at in order to understand who I want to be and where I want to go. This is the blog of designing my life and sharing my experiences.

How do I start?

To understand where I want to go, I need to understand where I am at. I can do this using a Health/Work/Play/Love (HWPL) Dashboard.

Essentially, I will measure and note how full each of these areas of my life are.

Health describes all aspect of health including mental, physical, or spiritual. It is up to each individual to decide the importance of each aspect of their life.

Work is not always something you are paid for. Work is a contribution to society or the overall human experience.

Play includes the things you genuinely find joy in doing. If it is something that advances you or moves you forward, then it is no longer play. Play is simply just activities that you enjoy doing.

Love can describe the affection you give and receive in areas of your life. Different forms of love include family, romantic relationships, friendships, and your community.

Here’s how to do it:

Health Gauge:

Explanation: Physically, I am healthy. I workout 4-6 times a week. My meals have a healthy balance of veggies, protein, and carbs. I make sure to give myself treats whenever I crave them. I have come a long way in my health journey. I used to struggle with restrictive eating patterns, and I am very proud of how far I've come in my relationship with my physical health. I have recently gotten more into spiritual health. I grew up in Catholic school and I did not love the experience. Growing up in Catholic schools separated me from my spiritual side; however, being in college I have rediscovered my spirituality and grown into that aspect of my health. I want to strengthen and work on my mental health. I have been on my journey with self-love and anxiety. I tend to worry about my grades, my friendships, and my relationships. I am working on unlearning my old patterns.

Work Gauge:

I work A LOT. I am in the Ohio Army National Guard, I stress about always having an internship, and I feel a need to get perfect grades in school. All of that work and pressure leaves very little room for me to find things I enjoy. I want to find my hobbies and pass times. I spend maybe too much time working and I would love to branch away from that area of my life.

Play Gauge:

I really don't play a lot. I do know there are things I enjoy, but I rarely make time for them. I love cooking, painting, photography, and making videos. However, I have so deeply invested myself in work and relationships that I rarely take time to do things I enjoy.

Love Gauge:

The love gauge is tough. I have a family and friends. I have a boyfriend who I love. But, I am in such a time of change. My friendships are changing, my support systems are changing, and (most importantly) I am changing. I am dealing with new relationship dynamics that are confusing and uncomfortable. A lot of the lack of love I feel is internal, but love is definitely an area of my life I want to improve.

With all of these aspects of my life combined, I have a great starting place to understand what I feel most fulfilled in and what I feel I lack. I am excited to use this guide going forward. If you want to read or check out the book, click the book below