MaXIMIze - Bringing in the Harvest - Circle of Perception Overview

For those who have followed my blog for some time, you have heard me speak of the Circle of Perception before.

For those who haven't, or who need a refresher, here is the exercise:

1. On a piece of paper, draw a circle. I recommend 81/2 x 11 paper and a large circle.

2. Divide the circle into 6 pie pieces of equal size and label them as follows:

• Physical Well Being
• Spiritual Well Being
• Finances
• Career
• Relationships
• Overall Well Being

3. On a scale from1-10, 10 being the highest, rate your current satisfaction level in each of those six areas.

4. Display that graphically by shading the pie piece from the center to the edge of the circle for each area of life, each piece of the pie, to show the appropriate number - 1 being at the center of the circle and 10 being the full piece of the pie.

Let that image sink in for a moment.

Now, focus on each area, and think about what you did or did not do in the past year to increase your satisfaction score in that area.

I'll use my own life this past year as an example.

Career - a solid 8. Many of you know that I moved from Sacramento, California - where I spent most of my life - to Taos, New Mexico just over a year ago. I like my job and the people I work with, and I am satisfied there for now.

Relationships - I waver between 7 and 8 here. Moving out to Taos meant leaving my older two children and my three grandchildren in California, and I miss them. I am thankful for the Internet and instant communication. I miss seeing my grandchildren on birthdays and holidays, and am thankful for the updates and pictures of them. I am glad I chose to follow my significant other to New Mexico, and appreciate our time together very much. And I look forward to the day we can actually live in the same place!

Spiritual Well Being - another solid 8. I could find a spiritual community here in Taos, but the one that truly calls me is in Albuquerque, 2 1/2 hours away. And I'm okay with that for now.

Physical Well Being - I waver here between 6 and 7. I could be more active, and I know that it would be good for me not only physically - since I have the onset of arthritis and other age-related things - but also mentally. Exercise is good for the mind as well as the body.

Finances - I'd say a 6 if not a 5 - my debt has built up again for various reasons, and I have to focus on and address that fully before I will truly be able to retire. I am eligible to do so in three years, however whether I'll be financially able to do so is another story.

Overall Well Being - taking all the other areas in my life into account, I'd say a solid 7 at this point.

My harvest is good in some areas, not so good in others, and I can see clearly what needs to be done to improve for next year's harvest review.

Over the remaining weeks in October we will go in-depth in each of these areas and really look at our harvest in each one of them for 2017.

Until next time, Namaste!