20 Questions That Will Change Your Life

silhouettes-68483_640By: Amanda Froelich,

True Activist.

You may be stuck in a dead-end job or in a hopeless relationship, neither serving your needs and have you at your wits end. In this scenario, there’s only one thing to do: accept that something needs to change.

The fact is, if something or someone does not serve your best interest and inhibits your positive personal growth, it is time to engage in new company or adopt new habits. Because you cannot control anyone but yourself, the following 20 questions are meant to inspire intrinsic reflection for personal breakthrough.

You have the power to change your life by humbly accepting your current state and grasping where you’d like to grow; life is limitless, refuse to let conditioned programming inhibit your ability to shine. .

1. What are you pretending not to know?
All possibilities open up when we stop deceiving ourselves.

2. Why don’t you do the things you know you should be doing?
Life isn’t figuring out what to do. The real challenge is (not so) simply doing the things we know we should be doing.

3. What are your values and are you being true to them?
When we don’t act true to our values, dissonance arises.

4. What don’t you know, that you don’t know?
It’s always the obstacles we don’t see coming that are the biggest challenges in life. Get in the habit of asking people that have been there and done it for guidance.

5. In what way are you being perceived that you’re not aware of?
Perception is reality. Make sure you understand how people really think about you.

6. Do your ‘shoulds’ get in the way of your happiness?
The desires of the ego are often in conflict with the emotions of the heart. You’ll always have what you want, if you want what you have.

7. What did I learn today? Who did I love? What made me laugh?
The meaningful exchanges of life – was your day memorable?

8. How would you feel if you achieved all of your life’s goals today? How can you feel that along the way?
It’s misguided perception that success enhances one’s value or worth; do you feel once you get ‘there’ you’ll finally be worth it? While delayed gratification is a powerful habit of highly successful people, we’re happier striving for our goals when we let ourselves feel that which we want to feel when our outcome is achieved.

9. If you had no fear, what would you do?
Imagine your 90-year-old self looking back on your life. What risks would you wish you would have taken?

10. If you were dying, would you worry about this?
We so easily lose perspective on what takes up our energy and focus. We all die, plain and simple; sometimes we need to remind ourselves of this to enjoy living. (Tip: Read “Tuesdays with Morrie”)

11. Should you be focused on today or tomorrow?
The present is a gift, savor it and don’t forget the future. Life is a balance of knowing when to enjoy the moment vs when to plant seeds for tomorrow’s harvest.

12. Why Not? What would Happen If?
Don’t accept that things are the way they are, question why something can’t be done. And when you get the pushback to these questions, re-frame the negative answers with possibilities. (Steve Jobs: Vision of the World)

13. What do you want your life to be in 5 years?
“If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll never get there” Lewis Carrol. Create an outline/vision board of what you hope to achieve in the next five years if you’re unsure what you’d like to manifest in your life.

14. What can you do to improve?
An honest answer can be humbling and provide the foundation you may need in order to achieve the greatest of feats.

15. What/Who did you make better today?
A valuable tool to measure your worth may just be to give more than you take.

16. What’s the one most important thing to get done this week/month?
Hold yourself accountable, write down your to-do’s on a sticky note, and complete the tasks that need taking care of in your life.

17. Can you get it done now?
If something is important or urgent and can be done now, do it.

18. What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?
Fear from others’ opinions inhibit most individual’s free-spirited actions. Whether a new business venture, pursuing a joyful hobby, or taking a leap in an unknown direction, if you knew there would be no criticism, what would you do different.?

19. Am I being true to myself?
In solitude, deeply ponder this question as it pertains to your personal relationships, work, and purpose. If one ignores their true passions, burn-out and depression can set in. Have courage to follow that which calls to you.

20. When was the last time you took a risk?
It’s easy to fall into the comfort of routine, but risk and challenge is where character is built and growth takes place. Regardless of your fear of change, leap out of your comfort zone every now and again: try something new, talk to a new person, pick up a new hobby, travel, etc…

Questions can pull one inside and initiate personal breakthrough. If you seek positive, guided change in your life, begin with seeking truth intrinsically and letting go of conditioned limitations.

Simple questions can have many applications; comments are encouraged for you to share those questions which have stirred change in your life.

Sources:

Forbes

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