Q&A for One
/I love the prompts certain accounts I follow on Instagram give. I find a good prompt to be a helpful tool in terms of immediate associative self reflection. I’ve never offered prompts on the blog, and I thought I’d try it today, at the very start of 2022. The great thing about prompts are that you can also write your own and look at them every so often. It’s been a gratifying practice for me to note my different answers to the same questions. This provides a way to note how my evolving answers show my own evolution. Your answers are private. This is a conversation you have with yourself, a Q&A for one. You can practice being as honest as possible in such a private space, without fear of outside judgement. Any self judgment that arises at your own answers, just say, “no thank you, I’m going to answer these honestly”. When we speak our own integral truth, even only to ourselves, it flexes the inner honesty muscle, as well loosens the knots we tie on how others perceive us. It’s a wonderful inquiry: if no one else were here to hear me, what would I really say? In a society that trains us to not rock the boat, upset the balance, and stifle ourselves so as not to make waves, it can take a long time to feel safe being truly honest in a skillful way. I find these private practices of dialoguing with myself had taught me to feel safe expressing what’s really going on for me in the moment. And btw, anyone who possesses balance won’t be thrown off by your own authentic sentiments. Observe those around you who’d rather you stay zipped up so that their own mood/world/atmosphere doesn’t get disturbed. These are not your people. Teach yourself to make your honesty comfortable to you, so that you can better spot the people who are uncomfortable with it.
Three things I love about myself are…
One small thing I can do regularly to treat my body with love and respect is…
Qualities that matter most to me in a close friend are… (do your close friends actually posses these qualities?)
When I make a mistake, my first reaction is to…
I spend time in nature (any amount) how often…
If I were to make a vow to myself about character growth and development, it’d be to cultivate (fill in the blank) this year…
One story I can drop about myself is…
The hidden or unexpressed passion/dream I have is…
I exist in a state of panic, worry, and fear this often…
I react when I feel others criticizing or judging me because…
An unhealthy relationship I need to loosen my grip on is with…
This dynamic is wrong for me because…
One subject of interest I’d like to learn more about is…
One dish I’d like to learn to cook is…
I pay attention to my breath how often…
I allow myself periods of rest and downtime how often…
When was the last time I touched earth or water in a way that was meaningful…
How often do I tell my loved ones that I love and appreciate them…
Think of a person who brings you joy.
How often do I (you) actually spend time with this person?
One thing I wish people knew about me is…
One thing I remember loving in childhood that I’ve lost touch with is…
On my deathbed, I’ll be heart satisfied if I lived like this…
I’m so much stronger than I realized because I…
One way I balance out living in a materialistic society is…
I physically release stored tension and energy by doing…
The first thoughts when I wake up are usually…
If I paid attention to my hands, I’d see them in this way… (clenched, wringing them, open, loving)
When I look in the mirror, I’d describe my eyes like this…
An area in my life I’m unhappy with is…
My purpose on this planet is to…
Happy New Year, Dear Ones. It’s your life. Care for it powerfully, lovingly, honestly, and consistently. 2022 can be amazing, warts and all (warts are inevitable). We can only grow that which we plant.
