Life is a delicate balance of addition and subtraction. Every habit, relationship, activity, or commitment in your life either contributes positively or detracts from your overall well-being. Learning to discern between these two forces is crucial for personal growth and fulfillment. Here’s a guide to help you evaluate whether something is adding value to your life or subtracting from it.

1. Assess Your Energy Levels

• Addition: Activities or people that add to your life typically leave you feeling energized and inspired. After spending time with them or engaging in certain tasks, you might feel uplifted, focused, or rejuvenated.
• Subtraction: Conversely, if something drains your energy, leaves you feeling exhausted, or diminishes your enthusiasm, it’s likely subtracting from your life. Chronic fatigue or dread are key indicators of subtraction.

2. Evaluate Emotional Impact

• Addition: Positive contributions bring joy, peace, and a sense of fulfillment. Whether it’s a hobby, a conversation, or an opportunity, the emotional impact is uplifting and aligns with your values.
• Subtraction: Negative influences often manifest as stress, frustration, anxiety, or sadness. If something consistently provokes negative emotions, it may be time to reassess its place in your life.

3. Track Your Growth

• Addition: Growth-oriented experiences challenge you constructively, help you develop new skills, and push you toward becoming a better version of yourself. These experiences often feel rewarding, even if they’re difficult in the moment.
• Subtraction: Stagnant or regressive situations hold you back or cause you to lose progress. They may encourage complacency or prevent you from reaching your full potential.

4. Examine Alignment With Your Goals

• Addition: Activities or commitments that align with your long-term goals often feel purposeful. They propel you forward, keeping you focused on what matters most.
• Subtraction: Distractions or misaligned commitments take you off track. If something consistently diverts your attention from your goals, it may be subtracting from your life.

5. Check for Reciprocity

• Addition: Healthy relationships, whether personal or professional, are marked by mutual support and respect. Both parties feel valued and contribute equally.
• Subtraction: Unbalanced relationships—where one side constantly takes without giving back—can be emotionally and mentally taxing, subtracting from your overall well-being.

6. Gauge How You Feel Afterward

• Addition: After engaging with something that adds value, you often feel satisfied, inspired, or productive. It leaves a positive imprint on your day.
• Subtraction: If you feel regretful, depleted, or empty afterward, it may be subtracting from your happiness and overall quality of life.

7. Listen to Your Intuition

• Addition: Your gut instinct often tells you when something feels “right.” Pay attention to those moments when your inner voice affirms your choices.
• Subtraction: If you feel uneasy, resistant, or uncomfortable about something, even without a concrete reason, it may be your intuition signaling that it’s not serving you well.

8. Conduct a Time Audit

• Addition: Time spent on meaningful activities or with people who enrich your life often feels productive and worthwhile.
• Subtraction: Wasting time on trivial matters, unhealthy habits, or toxic environments can drain your most valuable resource: time.

9. Monitor Your Physical Health

• Addition: Positive influences tend to improve your physical health indirectly, by encouraging better habits like exercising, eating well, or maintaining a balanced lifestyle.
• Subtraction: Chronic stress, lack of sleep, or unhealthy habits often lead to noticeable declines in physical health.

10. Review Long-Term Effects

• Addition: Things that add to your life create lasting benefits. They help you build a strong foundation for the future, leaving you better off in the long run.
• Subtraction: Things that subtract from your life may offer short-term gratification but often lead to long-term dissatisfaction, regret, or harm.

Final Thoughts

Not everything that subtracts from your life is inherently bad—sometimes subtraction is necessary. For example, removing toxic relationships or abandoning unproductive habits can create space for healthier additions. The key is to regularly evaluate what serves you and what doesn’t, ensuring that your life is aligned with your values, goals, and well-being.

By taking the time to reflect and act on these principles, you can craft a life filled with purpose, positivity, and growth. Every addition and subtraction is an opportunity to shape your journey—choose wisely.