The ObservatorySubjective
Life satisfaction and joy
What makes up this dimension
Subjective wellbeing is measured in 3 parts. Under each part are the life areas you can work on and follow over time.
Life satisfaction
About life satisfaction →The overall cognitive evaluation of one's own life.
Life satisfaction
Not ratedHow satisfied you are with life as a whole.
Satisfaction with the present
Not ratedHow you experience your current life situation.
Perceived quality of life
Not ratedYour subjective assessment of how well life is working.
Expectations and reality
Not ratedThe difference between the life you have and the life you wish for.
Change over time
Not ratedHow you judge that your well-being has developed over the past week, month or year.
Positive affect
About positive affect →How often positive emotional states have been experienced during the stated period.
Negative affect
About negative affect →How often negative emotional states have been experienced. Reversed when calculating a combined wellbeing index.
Content
One minute: count today's kindnesses
Count the small kindnesses you have done yourself today. They are easy to miss.
Session6 minStay with the good
A savoring exercise that lets you stay with and deepen a good feeling or a good memory, instead of hurrying past it
Article1 minSelf-esteem can't be talked into being
Mirror affirmations, praise and "you are amazing" never built anyone's self-esteem. What builds it is less glamorous — and doable.
Tool7 minThe enjoyment log
A standing place to record good moments, so the pattern of what actually fills you up becomes visible over time
Self-assessment4 minHow harsh are your standards?
Five scales that separate high ambition (harmless) from self-critical perfectionism (costly), and show where the line falls for you.
Story3 minMalin and the fourth day
A broken chain that almost became the end, and why it didn't.
Exercise2 minTwo minutes: a small something to look forward to
Put a small, nearby occasion in your calendar that you can look forward to a little
Session6 minThe evening's three lights
A quiet evening moment that brings forward three good things from the day, before it is set aside for the night
Article2 minMemory is not a recording
We trust our memories like video evidence. Research shows otherwise, and that has practical consequences for how you use yours.
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Where do you stand on subjective?
With an account you do your first assessment for free, set a baseline 0–10, watch the hexagon shift over time, and get suggestions based on your weakest dimension.