What’s Your Quality of Life?

What do you think of when you hear the words, “quality of life?” Do you think of people’s health and ability to function as they age? I’ve heard some say that they don’t want to spend the last few months (or even years) of their life being an invalid; that there’s no quality of life. Or maybe you think of people who are seriously ill and are constantly in pain and suffering.

I started thinking about this phrase because my dad and I were talking about a friend of his who just passed away. He had been in hospice for several months with Alzheimer’s and other health issues. My dad sadly recalled how his friend had had very little quality of life in the past year.

It occurred to me that we could also think of our quality of life right now, in this moment. Would you give it a high rating? If not, what could you change?

• Do you need to take more time to have fun and enjoy your life?
• Do you need to spend more time appreciating what you have instead of focusing on what you don’t have?
• Do you need to spend less time worrying about things you can’t control?
• Do you need to cut back on those things that detract from your quality of life? (Think news, social media, and negative people)
• Do you need to accept others for who they are, instead of wanting to change them?

It may not feel like we have much control over our health, but right now we have more power over our quality of life than we realize! Don’t let your days (and years) slip away in survival mode. Take action on one of the questions above or on another aspect of your life you need to change.