Work and your time
Work takes up too much of your week, you've stopped enjoying it, or you'd like to do something different. You need to consider income, responsibilities and realistic alternatives.
Martin Rothery · Living
What can Living help with?
Perhaps there's something you want to sort out. Perhaps life is going rather well, but there are things you'd still love to do. There's plenty worth exploring either way.
No registration, payment or email address needed to begin.
For the life you already have
What's going well? And what would you like to be different?
Most lives are a mixture. There are things we're pleased about, things we put up with, things we worry about and things we hope we'll get around to.
You might have an excellent relationship but feel frustrated at work. You might enjoy your work but barely have time for anything else. Or everything might be reasonably comfortable, and you're wondering what you'd like to do with the next ten years.
Living gives you a way to look at these things more closely. You can understand your circumstances, examine the choices available and work out what makes sense to you.
There's value in recognising what's already good, too. You might find you want to protect something, spend more time doing it, or appreciate it properly.
The things people deal with
Where might you begin?
You don't need a crisis or a dramatic turning point to take a look at your life. These are some of the ordinary situations worth exploring.
Relationships and connection
There's a conversation you've been putting off, a relationship that needs attention, or someone you'd like to be closer to. Perhaps you're looking for new connections.
Money and security
You want more freedom without putting yourself or your family at risk. You might need to understand your choices, priorities and financial constraints before making a decision.
Meaning and direction
What once felt worthwhile doesn't have quite the same appeal. You want to examine where you're heading, what you value now and what you'd like the next chapter of life to contain.
Health and limitations
An illness, disability, caring responsibility or practical limitation affects what you can do. Living can help you examine your circumstances and consider adjustments or support available to you.
Enjoyment and belonging
You'd like more friendship, enjoyment, curiosity, rest or involvement in everyday life. Perhaps you've gradually stopped doing things you once loved and want to make room for them again.
These are examples. The Stock Take lets you explore up to seventeen different areas of life, according to what interests or concerns you.
Explore the seventeen areas in your free Stock Take
There's more to life
What would you love to do more of?
Not everyone comes to Living because something is going wrong. You might be perfectly happy and still have a dozen things you'd love to experience.
Perhaps you've wanted to learn a language, start painting, take a trip, grow something, write a book or spend more time with people whose company you enjoy.
Maybe it's something larger. A change of career, starting your own business, returning to education, moving somewhere new or giving a long-held ambition a proper chance.
Living can help you move beyond thinking about these things and start exploring what it would actually take to do them.
What have you always wanted to try, and what's really stopping you?
Bringing an idea into everyday life
You've wanted to do something for years. What's holding you back?
Imagine you've always wanted to take a proper holiday abroad, but every year something gets in the way. You tell yourself it's too expensive, too difficult to arrange or that this isn't quite the right time.
An example of private Life Work
"I'd love to go, but I never seem to make it happen."
What I want
To spend a fortnight somewhere I've always wanted to visit.
What's stopping me
I haven't worked out the real cost, how much leave I need or what arrangements I'd have to make.
What I'll find out
Get realistic prices, check suitable dates and see what I could comfortably save each month.
What I'll decide
Can I make a sensible plan for next year? Or would I rather do something smaller this year?
This is an invented example. The point is to give an idea a fair examination before deciding whether to pursue it. Sometimes the answer will be yes, sometimes later, and sometimes you'll discover you don't want it after all.
From thinking to doing
What happens once you've noticed something?
You start by describing what is happening in your own words. You don't need to arrive with the answer.
Living gives you ways to examine what you want, what stands in the way, what you know and what you may still need to find out.
You can then consider a manageable action and come back to see what happened.
There is room to decide that nothing needs changing, or that now isn't the right time.
See how Living works1. Look at what's happening
Describe the situation, including what is going well and what concerns you.
2. Consider what you want
Examine your own priorities and what you'd like to be different or remain exactly as it is.
3. Explore your options
Question assumptions, look at consequences and consider the resources and limitations involved.
4. Try something sensible
Choose a step that fits your circumstances. You remain responsible for what you decide.
5. See what you learn
Return to your work, record what happened and consider what comes next.
How far would you like to go?
You can begin for free and decide what you need afterwards.
Living offers different ways to examine your life. They serve different purposes, so you can choose what suits you.
The free Stock Take
Explore up to seventeen life areas, consider your answers and take away a printable personal record.
Free, without registration.
Begin your Stock Take →Living membership
Create private Life Work, use practical exercises and explore your decisions in greater depth. Silver, Gold and Platinum provide increasing access and Life Council allowances.
Free account available. Paid membership starts at £19.99 per month.
Compare membership options →The Life Council
Bring a question to nine AI-supported perspectives and consider different ways of looking at it. A registered free account includes one lifetime introductory individual consultation.
Meet the Life Council →A Reckoning
Commission a confidential assessment personally undertaken by Martin, focused on one concern or your life as a whole. A separate service from membership and the Life Council.
Focused £195 · Complete £895 · Personal £1,495. Ordering is not yet open.
Understand A Reckoning →
Being realistic
Some things aren't entirely within your control.
Some problems need professional support, practical help or changes in circumstances. Asking good questions doesn't make those difficulties disappear.
Money, health, disability, caring responsibilities, relationships and other people's decisions can impose genuine limits on what is possible.
Living can help you look at your choices within those realities, understand what you may need to know and consider what support could be useful.
Living does not diagnose or treat illness, provide emergency services or replace appropriate medical, legal, financial or other professional advice.
A good place to begin
What would you like to have a proper think about?
It might be something that's been troubling you for a while, or an idea you're excited about.
Take a little time to look at it. Your Stock Take is free, and the result is yours to keep.
Start your free Stock TakeNo payment, registration or email address required.