As a clinical psychologist, I have worked with many people who have felt out of touch with themselves. These were good people who were trying hard to be happy, who were working, raising children, developing friendships and taking good care of themselves. But despite having busy productive lives, they still felt that they had somehow wandered off their own path and they complained that their lives weren’t authentic and weren’t meaningful enough. I could see how distressing this was. Imagine! Doing everything that we are supposed to do and still not being happy!
I realized that the answer to this problem was often very simple. First, the problem of being disconnected had to be acknowleged and accepted. Then, steps had to be taken to listen to the self, genuinely and without reserve, in order to change what was standing in the way. Change isn’t easy! But to have the life you really want, which is a life of joy, meaningfulness and authenticity, change is often necessary, especially once we are middle-aged.
To find out if you need to start making changes ask yourself the following:
1. Am I living my life the right way?
2. Am I happy?
3. Do I feel at home in my life?
If you can’t answer yes immediately to these questions I recommend taking the full questionaire, found on my website: www.robynediller.com. Although this questionaire isn’t “hard science”, it is based on twenty years of clinical work and I know it can help anyone find some of the answers that they need. And, for people interested in learning more about their own path, read the companion book, How Everything Changed, which is also available from the website.
Just imagine how good it will feel to have the life you have always dreamed of!