Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Transforming Your Life by Asking the Right Questions

Over the past few years, I've learned the value of asking the right questions. When students are preparing for my classroom presentations I often drill them with the appropriate questions so they come to the correct conclusions prior to presenting their information. Often these questions involve the transitions of ideas and how those ideas are presented to the audience. 
Sometimes what we ask is just as important as the answers we receive. So recently while I was searching for how to interpret some impeding events which could entirely change the way my family lives (and where we live). I came across an article about finding more meaning and connection in your life.  Additionally, this article suggests you ask yourself one question a day for 100 days and at the end of the 100 days your life will feel happier and you will feel as though you have grown.
So today, I hope to help my friends, family and readers by sharing these very useful 100 questions. Challenge yourself by asking a question to your soul each day for the next 100.
1. Where is my heart guiding me?
2. What do I need to say that others have left unspoken?
3. Are there any skills or talents I'm not utilizing?
4. What is my personal blind spot; what have I been unwilling to look at?
5. Where have I been worrying too much about what others think?
6. What new patterns and habits can I invite into my life?
7. Where have I been more focused on how I look, rather than how I feel?
8. What concerns am I willing to release?
9. What am I committed to changing?
10. What is my body craving?
11. What commitments to my self can I honor?
12. What new habit can I start?
13. How do I want to feel?
14. What signs have I been misinterpreting or ignoring?
15. What lessons am I learning right now?
16. Where can I surrender?
17. Where can I take responsibility for my outcome?
18. What challenges from my past can I celebrate overcoming?
19. Where can I ask for help, and who can I let in?
20. What expectations am I ready to release?
21. How is life asking me to grow right now?
22. How have I let fear dictate my actions?
23. What can I remove from my life?
24. What have I been avoiding out of fear?
25. Where can I show more of my true self?
26. What area of my life have I become disenchanted with, and what is that trying to tell me?
27. What has my intuition been trying to tell me?
28. Where do I feel broken? What steps will I take to release this internal pain?
29. What am I learning on the way to reaching my goal?
30. What did I love to do as a child that I can do today?
31. Where have I blocked myself from feeling?
32. Where have I been focusing too much on the outcome?
33. Where in my life do I feel forced to take action?
34. What current situation in my life have I been resisting?
35. In what ways can I appreciate myself more?
36. What flaw that I hide from others can I reveal?
37. What long-term success am I working to create?
38. What healthier habits can I start?
39. What can I do with my current limitations?
40. What dream have I ignored, but keeps coming back?
41. What situation in my life turned out to be a giant blessing in disguise?
42. Where have I been settling?
43. And what actions step can I take to raise my standards?
44. What is my fear trying to tell me?
45. In what ways can I be kinder to myself?
46. What have I given up on that still wants to be pursued?
47. Where have I been forcing myself to heal faster than what feels right?
48. How have I been cheating on my future by thinking thoughts of my past?
49. What "flaw" can I accept today?
50. Where have I been hesitating to take action?
51. What has the universe been asking me to release?
52. What past situation have I been romanticizing?
53. How has my past hurt my ability to move forward?
54 . What plan feels forced or like it no longer fits in my life? Can I let it go?
55. What emotion have I been hiding?
56. What are my instincts trying to tell me?
57. What does my ideal life look and feel like?
58. What area of my life can I take more of a leadership role in?
59. Where can I be more unapologetic about what brings me joy?
60. Where have I been playing it safe?
61. What action step can I take despite my insecurity or lack of confidence?
62. How am I standing in my own way?
63. What stories am I telling myself that are holding me back?
64. What do I feel most guilty about?
65. When do I feel most alive?
66. What have I denied myself that I really want?
68. What relationship am I not feeling the way I want to feel in?
69. What am I avoiding right now in my life?
70. What have I stopped doing that I want to start again?
71. What do I need to say but have not voiced?
72. How do I measure my success?
73. What barriers do I create that keep me from what I want?
74. What in my life am I forcing?
75. What have I denied myself that I really want?
76. What insecurity can I love today?
77. Can I consider a more fun-loving approach?
78. What project can I give new life to?
79. What is the silver lining of my current situation?
80. What relationship can I remove myself from?
81. What patterns keep repeating in my life, and what can I learn from them?
82. What drama can I disengage with?
83. What miracle have I recently witnessed?
84. How can I be more honest with those who are close to me?
85. What dream have I been ignoring?
86. What recent situation do I blame myself for?
87. Where can I stop second-guessing my own judgment?
88. What desire do I need to revisit?
89. Where have I allowed "no" to stop me?
90. What act of kindness can I do right now?
91. What promise can I keep to myself?
92. Where can I be more courageous with my heart?
93. Where can I be more understanding?
94. Where has scarcity or lack-based thought prevented me from doing what I love?
95. When I listen to my heart, what does it say?
96. What payoff is no longer pleasing me?
97. What action step can I take today that my future self will hug me for?
98. What change can I make today?
99. What little act of kindness can I do today?
100. What new beginning am I being guided to?
Asking yourself key questions is powerful way to cultivate more self-awareness and happiness. I hope you find these questions as beneficial as I have.

Thursday, March 3, 2016

As I Prepare for our Phoenix Departure


When we first moved to Phoenix... Zach and I told each other (and our families), that it was the 5-year plan. However, life got in the way...Much of the time we've spent here has been good. From the students and colleagues that have fostered friendships and networking opportunities with.To the years, I've spent learning the beautiful dance traditions of Hawaii and the sisterhood of ladies who have helped me become a better version of myself.
The births of my two youngest daughters’ Zhenna and Fiona. The love my family has fostered for festival season in the beautiful sunshine weather during the months of February through April. To the friends I have made through learning and practicing Buddhism.
There have also been disappointments and sad times. When I was let go from my full-time job. The horrible car accident I was in 4 years ago. The time I’ve spent in the hospital for all the gastric issues I have dealt with.

Any way I look at it, I have grown as a mother, as an educator, as a friend, but most importantly as a
person. However, just as all good stories must come to an end, so must our time here.
My husband has been waiting 4 years for a disability hearing and it has finally been scheduled for May 2016. Whether that hearing finally puts our family back on track, or whether it becomes a disappointment is truly out of our hands at this point. Additionally, Nina will finish 3rd grade in May. So, all signs point to packing up our home and renting out our house, as we return to Pennsylvania.

We have missed our family and friends very deeply for a long time, but it is truly a bittersweet time none-the-less. However, many of the career opportunities we moved here for have been gone for some time.

So it is with some solace, I pack our belongings and the treasures we've acquired in the 8 years we've called Phoenix our home. I am still looking forward to new adventures in my future. The application of the lessons I've learned here, to where those lessons will lead us when we return to our home will be a worthwhile venture.

Thank you if you have been part of our Phoenix journey, we will remember these years fondly. Also, thank you to our friends and family that will be taking us back with open arms, as we start our next adventure.