What truly nourishes us in life goes far beyond what’s on our plate. As a holistic nutritionist, I often refer to the Circle of Life as soul food, because when we are fulfilled and balanced in the key areas of life, we’re far less likely to reach for food to fill emotional voids.
The Circle of Life is a powerful visual tool that helps us reflect on our overall well-being, bringing awareness to what’s thriving and what might be calling for more care and attention. Developed by the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN), this exercise is rooted in the concept of primary food—the non-food aspects of life that deeply influence our health and happiness: relationships, career, creativity, physical activity, joy, and more.
The Circle of Life includes 12 categories of life experience:
Health
Physical Activity
Home Cooking
Home Environment
Relationships
Social Life
Joy
Spirituality
Creativity
Finances
Career
Education
Each of these “slices” contributes to our sense of balance and fulfillment. When one or more are depleted, we often feel it... emotionally, mentally, and even physically. We might feel disconnected, unmotivated, anxious, or turn to food or other habits to self-soothe.
Download or Print the Tool
You can find the interactive or printable Circle of Life tool at integrativenutrition.com/circle-of-life, or use the attached version in our shared drive.
Reflect on Each Area
Think about each category and assess your current level of satisfaction, not just today, but overall in this season of your life. Don’t worry about perfection; this is a compassionate check-in, not a judgment.
Mark Your Satisfaction Levels
In each segment of the circle, place a dot:
Closer to the outer edge = higher satisfaction
Closer to the center = lower satisfaction
Connect the Dots
Once all 12 are marked, connect the dots around the circle. You’ll now have a visual of your current life balance.
Identify Focus Areas
Notice which areas feel full and vibrant. Celebrate them! Then, gently explore the sections where your dots were closer to the center, these are areas where you might want to bring more attention or nurturing energy.
This is not a daily evaluation.
Think in terms of your current phase or season... not just how you felt this morning. Our satisfaction in different life areas fluctuates naturally.
You are not meant to be perfect.
A balanced life doesn't mean scoring high in every area at all times. It’s about awareness, adaptability, and intention.
This is a living practice.
Revisit your Circle of Life every few months or anytime you feel out of alignment. You’ll likely find that your needs and priorities shift over time... this is natural and healthy.
When our soul food is lacking—when joy, connection, or creativity are missing—we often try to fill those voids with actual food. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a comfort meal now and then, but chronic emotional eating is usually a sign that something deeper is calling for attention.
By nurturing the areas of life that fuel your spirit, you naturally reduce the urge to soothe with food. You make space for more mindful eating, emotional resilience, and deep self-awareness.
Take a moment to look at your Circle of Life. What’s working well? Where do you feel depleted or disconnected? Choose one area to gently explore this week—perhaps through journaling, intentional time, or reaching out for support.
This is the heart of holistic nourishment: feeding not just the body, but the soul.
