All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.
Havelock Ellis
What if your life suddenly came to a fork in the road? A point where you had the opportunity to pause and consider:
Where do I go from here?
The truth is, you do have this opportunity, right now. We all do.
So, why not take the time to pause and ask yourself some important questions?
Today we’re sharing 2 questions to ask yourself as you navigate the process of finding your “new normal”:
1. What do I want to keep from this time?
It’s not about forcing a silver lining around a difficult experience. (This only invalidates our natural response to pain and loss.) But, by gently challenging ourselves to consider the aspects of our lives over the past year that have been supportive and beneficial, we can equip ourselves to navigate whatever comes next with greater intention and resiliency.
ASK YOURSELF:
- What have I learned about myself over the past year? About others? How might I put these insights and lessons to good use in my life?
- Which habits have I developed over the past year that have served me well? How might these habits continue to serve me well in the future?
- Which rituals, routines, or traditions have we adopted as a household? Which aspects of these make sense to hold on to going forward?
- How has my “work life” shifted in a beneficial way over the past year? How might I carry this forward with me?
- How have my relationships shifted in a beneficial way over the past year? How might I carry this forward with me?
- How has my wellness shifted in a beneficial way over the past year? How might I carry this forward with me?
2. If I were starting over, what would I want to eliminate going forward?
It’s easy to romanticize life as we knew it “before…”. And yet, if we’re really honest with ourselves, there probably were many things about our lives, pre-pandemic, that prevented us from thriving as fully as we could. By recognizing the habits, routines, etc. that no longer have a place in our daily lives, we have the opportunity to be more judicious with our time, energy, and other resources.
ASK YOURSELF:
- Which aspects of my “old life” have I missed least? Which pieces have been easiest to let go of over the past year?
- What’s surprised me most about my day-to-day habits during the past year? How might I use these insights to thoughtfully edit what my daily life looks like going forward?
- What will need to change in order to accommodate the new habits and insights I’m choosing to carry forward with me?
- Which aspects of my former “work life” might no longer serve me? What can I eliminate going forward?
- Which aspects of my former approach to relationships might no longer serve me? What can I eliminate going forward?
- Which aspects of my former approach to wellness might no longer serve me? What can I eliminate going forward?
Curious to learn more important questions to ask yourself?