If you watched the 90’s hit sitcom Friends, you know that the character Joey was famous for his line “How you doin’?” His flirtatious quip was cute and cut to the chase. So, how you doin’? How’s life? Are you feeling fulfilled and intentional with how things are going? Sometimes life feels off. It’s not that you want to abandon things and move on, but sometimes there is an unsettled feeling. If you find that you resonate with that, it might be time to do an assessment.

Some people don’t take the time to truly assess their satisfaction with life and go about the day-to-day underwhelmed, going through the motions. Before long, what was a little off becomes something way off.

Life never stays the same. It’s not meant to. It is meant to be an evolution that morphs from one status to the next. A series of changes that create opportunities and options.

Q: How do you assess your personal fulfillment?

A: Sometimes you don’t have to assess much to know that you are unfulfilled. You already know that you feel like something is missing or you want something more. If you’ve known that you desire more, it’s likely time to pay attention to that feeling.

A: Ask yourself, “How you doin’?” There’s nothing wrong with intentionally assessing the areas of life that stand out most. Spending time contemplating your life and assessing if you’re content or if there is more you’d like to explore in your career, relationships, nutrition, and other areas is healthy.

A: Ask someone else, “How am I doin’?” Those closest to you know you better than you may think. Sometimes it’s great to get someone else’s perspective and thoughts. Having a meaningful conversation with someone you trust can help you see yourself through another person’s eyes. Have they noticed a sense of discontent or unrest?

A: Explore. From trying new food to a new hobby, exploring something new is a wonderful way to alert your conscious of what your subconscious may be trying to tell you – you’ve got some fulfillment issues. Trying new things regularly helps inspire and ignite new options throughout your life.

Q: What do you do if you feel unfulfilled?

A: First off, don’t panic. Feeling unfulfilled doesn’t mean there’s been a failure or things need to radically change – or do they? Becoming aware of unfulfillment makes it possible to make a plan and do something to ease the feeling and make positive changes.

A: Take some action. Similar to exploring, looking at what might raise your personal satisfaction is easier than you may realize. Start small and try new things and see what resonates with you and sparks your interest. You may discover something that excites you that you never knew existed.

Life is not supposed to stay the same. It’s meant to be explored, experienced, and lived. If you are feeling like things aren’t thrilling, it might be time to find a new and better reason to get excited. Assess your current status and consider making some changes that take life from unfulfilled to truly satisfying.