New York Times Science Section write Dana Smith asks “How are you, really?”

She answers: We know we should get a physical exam every year; we have annual reviews at work; some couples even do periodic relationship audits. And yet many of us don’t regularly check in with our emotional health — though it is arguably the most important contributor to overall well-being.

The New York Times talked to experts in clinical psychology, positive psychology, flourishing, thriving, resilience and burnout about what contributes to a sense of well-being and how to evaluate it. Then we came up with a series of questions adapted from these conversations, as well as from prompts in four common psychological assessments.

This self-guided exercise won’t give you a “wellness score” or ranking, and it shouldn’t be used as a diagnostic tool or a substitute for professional help. Instead, these types of questions are meant to get you thinking about different aspects of your life and mental health, and help you identify what’s working and where you might make adjustments, said Tyler VanderWeele, the director of the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University.

While some aspects of well-being are out of our control, many are within it. And the first step toward improving something is to assess it.

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