4) What kind of emotional baggage are you carrying and what do you need to do to let go of it? We live in a busy society. Having not stopped in months (or years) to experience and acknowledge the reality of your pain, you might not realize just what the pain is costing you in terms of happiness, relationships and connection, and even your physical health. Where is your pain? What things do you need to forgive yourself for? Is there someone in your life who you have yet to forgive or who deserves more trust than you’ve given them? What are you holding onto? Accepting your own humanity is a huge step in lightening your load as you walk the thousand miles of your life. Learning to let go of the pain of your past will make the present much more enjoyable.

5) In what ways are you "shoulding" yourself? You might focus attention on things you "should" do, you think you "have" to do, but you don’t want to do. Somewhere in your thought processes, you harbor the belief that you have no choice about how you "should" spend your time and the things you "should" have. You always have a choice. You may not like the options but there are always choices. You may have unrealistic expectations for how your life should be. The gap between this fantasy and reality causes you pain, suffering, and guilt. You can never achieve unrealistic expectations. Give yourself permission to challenge these beliefs about what life is supposed to be like. What do you think is supposed to be different?

6) Where’s your fear? Fear is an insidious thing. It keeps you stuck in your comfort zone and will keep you from experiencing more success and happiness in your life. If something is not the way you want it to be, examine your fears. Is money or indebtedness an issue for you? You might fear being alone or abandoned. Do you fear failure or success? Do you fear being taken advantage of or being controlled? Anything you fear runs your life. By succumbing to your fear, you give it power over you. It’s time to take control and overcome your fear do you succeed in spite of it.

7) What do you value the most? What is most important to you: Is it money? Surviving? Is it work? Family? Your health? Your life is a reflection of what you value the most. If there is an area that is challenging for you, look at the choices you are making; what you choose to do in any given moment is an expression of your values. Too often, people act unconsciously, without considering what is most important. Knowing what you value will help guide your decisions. Do you stay late at work or attend your daughter’s dance recital? Are you taking a vacation this year with your spouse/family or will you work straight through in order to impress others by how diligent you are? Consider what you might be valuing the next time you yell at your spouse, or lie to a friend, or choose to work late when your family is expecting you. Balance is important and being clear about what you value will help you to live true to your integrity, which helps you sleep well at night.

Whatever frustrates you and keeps you up at night, whatever difficulties you currently have, face them. By asking the tough questions, you shed some light on the issues you need to deal with so you can experience greater happiness. Awareness is very powerful. When you give yourself the gift of awareness, you open yourself up to explore the possibilities of your life and you give yourself the power to make conscious choices for yourself and your life. If you don’t ask the questions, you’ll stay in the dark. A safe place for sure, but a very shallow place to live your life.

Page 2 of 2 :: First | Last :: Prev | 1 2 | Next