Coping choices- Signs of discontent

Dear Choices:  How can I be more productive?  I get frustrated every night when I feel I have been overwhelmed with things to do, but never seem to accomplish what I set out to do……Life is hard

Dear Life:  You might find some answers in this little exercise. Don’t want to get out of bed, hard time motivating yourself, have doubts about yourself, feel depressed for days at a time, overeat or use alcohol or drugs to feel better or escape, feel bored or restless and wish you were somewhere else?  Feeling dissatisfied with your life is not pleasant, but can lead you in a positive direction.  Pay attention to your feelings and use them as a sign that you need to make some changes in your life.  Rediscover what is important to you.  Imagine your life is new and you can do anything with it that you want to.  What is important to you?  What values direct you?  Consider this list of words and give them a number: 1) critically important to me; 2) important to me;  3) I can live without it

__acceptance by others 

__accomplishment

__activity  

__appreciation

__authority

__beauty

__being liked

__certainty

__challenge

__choice

__comfort

__community service

__creativity

__enjoyment  

__ethics

__excellence

__excitement

__financial security

__fitness

__flexibility

__freedom

__fulfilling my potential

__fun

__growth

__health

__helping others

__honesty

__independence

__informality

__leisure

__mastery

__pets

__making a difference

__morality

__nature

__novelty

__originalit

__pleasure

__popularity

__prestige

__prosperity

__personal development

__quality

__recognition

__relaxation

__respect

__risk

__solitude

__spirituality

__power  

__peace

__privacy

__stability

__status

__stimulation

__surprise

__time for friends

__time for family

__time for me

__trust

__uniqueness 

__variety

__wealth

__wisdom  

__words

Now make a list that summarizes your most important values.  Add any others. 

Compare how you are currently spending your time with what is most important to you.

How well do they match?  What clues can help you find more satisfaction? What things don’t match?What is within your control?  What do you want to change?

Please send your questions regarding mental health, addiction, co-dependency, fiancés, divorce, self-esteem, anger, parenting, grief/loss issues, or life adjustments.  Questions will be selected for the greatest appeal for the general public and will be educational in nature.  More personal confidential questions will be responded to individually.  Nancy M. Smith, LCSW, LAC, Choices for Change Counseling, P.O. Box 622, Superior, MT 59872, 406-822-5422 or 406-649-2761 – choices@blackfoot.net