Ten Questions . . .

This post is a about observing yourself. That’s all. Just observing. When I went to a life coach a number of years ago this is what he advised I do from day one. Well that didn’t seem very powerful. What was I going to get out of that? I wanted action. Lists and exercises and things that I could act on right away.

But the act of self-observation was one of best things I ever did. What worked for me was to imagine myself hovering above myself and just looking and noting. The point was not to act or correct, but to simply view myself dispassionately as I went about my daily life.

In some cases I felt pretty good about what I saw. I liked how I reacted to some things. In other cases I felt not so good – almost ashamed. Until then I had no real idea how was acting and behaving – mostly out of the spotlight of others and in my own private moments I saw myself becoming frequently frustrated. I would have thoughts and act in ways I would shudder to witness or contemplate in others.

It was a breath of fresh air – like seeing myself for the first time in the raw. No pretending or acting. And did it help me? Yes absolutely. I am better at observing myself more often and “catching” myself when I slip into behavior I don’t like. Like the other day for instance I was driving to work and becoming impatient with slower drivers (I have always been like this if I am honest). But I was able to observe and stop my behavior by asking myself some pretty basic questions.

My life coach gave me a wallet card with ten questions to ask myself when faced with a decision or knowing how to react to something. I later found out (actually when writing this blog) that they come from a lady called Debbie Ford who said “These questions supply you with the wisdom you need to make what was previously unconscious, conscious, so that you can choose with all the power that comes from being fully aware.”

Here they are:

1. Will this choice propel me toward an inspiring future or will it keep me stuck in the past?
2. Will this choice bring me long-term fulfillment or will it bring me short-term gratification?
3. Am I standing in my power or am I trying to please another?
4. Am I looking for what’s right or am I looking for what’s wrong?
5. Will this choice add to my life force or will it rob me of my energy?
6. Will I use this situation as a catalyst to grow and evolve or will I use it to beat myself up?
7. Does this choice empower me or does it disempower me?
8. Is this an act of self-love or is it an act of self-sabotage?
9. Is this an act of faith or is it an act of fear?
10. Am I choosing from my divinity or am I choosing from my humanity?