How’s Your Inventory?

Anyone who’s in farming, or anyone in any business for that matter, knows the importance of taking inventory. It’s important to know that you have enough of the things you need to keep the operation running.

We know this is important for our business success—but what about our life success?

Steph Schmidt, who is a farmer, psychologist, and well-being advocate, has a great farm life wellbeing check that is much like an inventory. It’s designed specifically for women farming in Australia, but asks some really useful questions.  I’d encourage you to take a look at her work here .

Thinking about our inventory

Right now, take a minute and think about the things that you need to have enough of in your life in order to thrive. How would you rate your inventory in these areas?                         

• Basic Needs: Are you getting enough healthy food, drinking enough water, getting enough sleep (remember my blog posts on water and sleep)  ?
• Health and Safety:  Do you have a doctor whose advice you follow? Do you have everything you need to work safely on the farm?
• Connection: Do you have people you trust who you can turn to, to share successes and worries and feel connected and loved?
• Joy:  Do you have things that make you happy and are you doing them regularly (see my blog post If You’re Happy and You Know It that talks about this)?
• Pride: While excess pride is not good (and one of the seven deadly sins!), it is important to have a sense of achievement and know others respect you. What do you have that makes you feel proud of in this way?
• Meaning: Do you have things that give you purpose, and do you take the time to think about and experience the meaningful things in your life?

Time to “stock up”

How did you do? I know when I took my own inventory I found some gaps, some areas where my inventory is pretty low. It’s time for me to act and “stock up” on some things, like doing things that give me joy and stopping long enough to actually think about all the meaningful things in my life and how lucky I am.

What is it time for you to “stock up” on?  How are you going to do this?  It’s almost time for New Year’s resolutions.  Maybe this year, instead of just resolving to lose those 5 pounds or cut down on junk food (which are perfectly good things to do!) we can think a little bit bigger and think about how we are going to keep our inventory high.

If we all do that, I promise it will help us thrive!