These Questions Just Might Make You Think Differently About Your Life

Now is a perfect time for a little reflection.

1. Do you get caught up in too much needless drama?

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It might be engrossing in the moment, but rarely does good in the long run. Who needs it?

2. Do you not take enough pride in your accomplishments?

A former college baseball player might spend his days in a depressed fog, thinking, I never made it to the major leagues like I dreamed. I failed. But he might be happier if he changed his thinking to: I had great successes in search of my dream and played at the college level!

All of us at one point were helpless babies who couldn't do a thing for ourselves — and the fact that we grew into people who can, for example, play an instrument or cook a delicious meal, is amazing and worth being proud of!

3. Do you care too much about what other people think?

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In 20 years the overwhelming majority of the people you worry about today won't matter to you — but what you will care about is whether you were true to yourself.

4. Are you staying in a bad relationship?

Obviously, it might be impossible to get out of a bad relationship right now considering the situation in the world, but if you know the relationship is truly a bad one for you — you should consider how to get out when it's safe/possible to do so. Rarely does anyone ever get out of a bad relationship without wishing they'd made the move sooner.

5. Or are you in a good relationship and need to remind yourself how good it is?

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Even if you have a good partner, being stuck at home with them 24/7 can make their faults seem ten times bigger. It's best to try to focus on the things you like about your partner and the life you share, and to remember that you're probably doing something that annoys them too right now!

6. Are you holding grudges, especially with those you love?

Letting go of the anger is a gift to yourself. What's the point of reliving the anger over and over?

7. Do you realize how beautiful you are?

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Too many of us spend our youth unhappy with the way we look, and unfortunately, that has a lot to do with the unrealistic and negative images we see in the media every day. But, most older people who felt that way when they were young look back at old photos and think, "Wow, I looked great back then. Why was I so insecure?"

8. Do you refuse to let friendships run their course?

People grow apart. Clinging to what was, instead of acknowledging that things have changed, can be a source of ongoing agitation and sadness.

9. Or do you have friends or family members you should get in touch with again?

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Sometimes we stay close to those we shouldn't. Other times, we lose touch with people who we were lucky to have in our lives. If you have one of those, reaching out is easy (especially in these days of email and texting).

10. Have you not moved on fast enough from a setback?

In the (often extended) moment, it seems like moving on is impossible. But older people tend to look back at much of the long periods spent picking themselves off the ground as nothing but wasted time.

11. Is there somewhere you want to visit around the world?

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Right now, of course, travel is impossible. But even in the best of times, finding the time and money to travel can be hard. So if there's somewhere you need to see before all is said and done, you should start laying the groundwork as soon as you can. Even putting a dollar aside will make the trip more real and less theoretical.

12. Could you volunteer or give more to others?

If you're able to do it, helping others not only helps them, but is incredibly rewarding. Doing something — no matter how small — is better than nothing.

13. Do you stand up for yourself enough?

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If the answer is no, then you deserve to be treated better. Standing up for yourself — even though it's scary — can change how people see you, and how you see yourself.

14. Is the real you being limited by gender roles or cultural assumptions?

Few things are as sad as an old person saying, "Well, it just wasn't done back then." If there's something that speaks to you, you should answer it.

15. Are there questions you want to ask your parents or grandparents?

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Now more than ever, we understand how precious our time is with our older family members. There are so many amazing questions you could ask them, here are just two: "What was your wedding day like?" and "How do you deal with tough times?" Too many realize too late what an awesome resource grandparents are.

16. Are you supporting other people's dreams over your own?

Supporting others is a beautiful thing, but not when it comes at the expense of your own dreams. If you have a dream, is there a way to nurture it?

17. Do you listen to your parents' advice?

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You don't want to hear it when you're young, but the infuriating truth is that most of what your parents say about life is true. (And maybe even some of what Phil Dunphy says too!)

18. On the flip side, do you listen to your kids' advice?

As you age, the modern-day world can become more and more mysterious. Being humble and listening to your kids — who may understand the present moment better than you – is smart.

19. Do you neglect your teeth?

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This one may seem sort of random, but — especially as we age — so much of our health is tied to our dental health. Brush. Floss. Get regular checkups. It will all seem so maddeningly easy when you have dentures.

20. Are you stopping enough to appreciate the moment?

In our youth we tend to be constantly on the go, but stopping to take it all in now and again is a good thing. Why not try it while we're forced to slow down right now?

21. Are there things you want to do, but are too scared to attempt?

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They may be scary now, but once you try them you'll likely look back and think, What was I so afraid of?

22. Do you worry too much?

In a time when there are things to legitimately worry about, you might realize that some of the things that've kept you up at night in the past aren't worth worrying about. As Tom Petty sang, "Most things I worry about never happen anyway."

23. Is there something important to you that you started but never finished?

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Now might be a good time to rededicate yourself to finishing that degree, learning how to play that instrument, or completing whatever your thing is.

24. Are you too invested in social media and technology?

If you're spending way more time in the online world than the real one, it might be time to ask whether you need to change things up.

25. Or could you benefit from making social media and technology a bigger part of your life?

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On the flip side, it's also worth asking if getting more involved in social media and technology could connect you more to family, friends, and new friends yet to be made. Many older people who have resisted using the computer now relish it.

26. Do you want to learn another language?

If so, now might be a good time to start. Truth is it's easier than ever to learn with apps you can use on your phone like Duolingo. This is especially true for people over 40, who struggled to learn a language out of a book in high school.

27. Are you failing to make physical fitness a priority?

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These last few weeks at home might've made you realize just how important it is to stay active. But even before all of this too many of us spent too much of our lives on the couch. Starting a fitness regime (even if it's only a modest one) will pay off major dividends later in life.

28. Are you spending enough time with loved ones?

Now more than ever, we know that our time with our loved ones is finite. Make it count.

29. Are you afraid to say "I love you"?

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In a time like this, it becomes clearer than ever how important it is to let those we love know it. And if you're afraid, remember this — many years from now it will matter a lot more to you that you made your feelings known than whether the love was returned.

30. What really matters to you?

Someone once told me to make a long list of the things that are most important to me in life, and then to ask myself, "What if I could only keep ten of these things? How about five? Or three? Or even just one?" Contemplating what really, truly matters to you in life now and again — and then asking whether those things are getting enough of your time/focus — is worthwhile.

31. Could you be more grateful?

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It's not always easy to see, but every moment we have — from the mundane to the amazing — is a gift that we're all so incredibly lucky to share.