Ask and it's given:
Improve the quality of your life by asking empowering questions
While in the comfort of your own mind!
By Cecile Thomas
Have you ever listened to the questions you ask yourself on a daily basis? I mean, REALLY listened?
Let’s be clear here, I am not talking about the kind of question you ask yourself about whether to choose the mild or strong cheddar at the store or what pair of jeans best matches your T-shirt.
I am talking about the questions you ask yourself when you face a challenge, when you are stuck, when you are looking for new ways to reinvent yourself or simply contemplating your life.
You still don’t see what I am talking about? Let’s have a look…
“Why is this happening to me?”
“Why can’t I get what I want?”
“How come this only happens to me?”
“When will I finally be lucky?”
“What’s wrong with me?”
What is the common denominator in these questions? What kind of answer do you expect from them?
This type of question sweats negativity, victim state, fate, impatience, etc. They scream for help, they call for attention.
The questions you ask hold power. They can open new doors, bring you inspiration and creativity, raise your awareness, empower you. Or they can keep you trapped in your own mind, lower your self-esteem and confidence, or worse.
Believe it (or not), the quality of the questions you ask has a direct influence on your quality of life.
You don’t need to create radical change in all the areas of your life to feel better, magnetic, inspired and every other feeling you want to experience.
Unlock the power of questions by following these 3 steps:
“There are no right answers to wrong questions.”
– Ursula K. Le Guin
1- Ask your questions in the positive
It happened again. The rain began to fall while you were running late to an interview. You arrived right on time, sweaty and drenched, your hair is a mess, and on top of that you forgot your file. You have a look at the other applicants. They all smell good, are well prepared and show no obvious sign of having experienced the pouring rain. You think to yourself: “How come this only happens to me?”.
You sit down, self-conscious and feeling doomed. You won’t get the job, you know it. and know all you want to do is hide.
What if you were to ask yourself “How can I move on and rock the interview?” instead? The energy in this question creates a shift. You’re not a victim, you just gave the authorization to your brain to look for solutions and get resourceful. You can still get the job, you know it.
The human mind easily gets on autopilot, negative questions come naturally. Your job is to recognize them and rephrase the questions to induce inspiration rather than doubt. It has to be conscious before it becomes a habit.
Monitor your thoughts and make a conscious effort every time you catch yourself asking the wrong questions.
Prefer open questions beginning by “How” and “What”, as they are opening you up to receive new insights and ideas. Try to avoid the “Why” questions, as that opening often calls for a negative phrasing.
By Cecile Thomas
2- Strengthen the power of your questions
Let’s dive deeper into our example. You changed your question to “How can I move on and rock the interview?”. How can you make that question even more powerful?
Let’s see… “How can I move on NOW and rock the interview?”
Words like “now”, “even more”, “while” are the easiest way to reinforce your intention and send the signal to your brain that you are looking for fast answers and for greater ideas to solve your problem.
Your mind is a database that stores every single piece of information that you have been receiving until now. If you don’t use your internal search engine, you won’t find the answers you are looking for. By asking your questions in the positive, you are doing the search. By reinforcing your intention, you are refining the search, and your mind will do the work required to bring you your answers.
3- Practice
Habits take time. Strengthening your mind muscle takes practice. Take every occasion that you have to work on this skill. Come up with your own set of questions to ask yourself every day to create momentum.
Can you imagine how asking yourself “How can I become even more aware of the infinite opportunities that surround me right now?” instead of “Why do I have to go to that job again?” every day for 30 days could impact the quality of your life?
Use this tool to solve problems, to get unstuck, to improve your business, to deepen your relationships, to get new ideas, etc.
The results are invaluable, they are priceless. Doing this one step in your daily life could reshape your entire experience, and it only requires a minimum effort from you.
PS: you don’t have to do this alone. If you need a push, if it feels too hard, I am here to help. Click HERE to see how we can bring your special dreams to life together.