Questions of Self Exploration

I believe it is healthy to ponder this reality with questions that evoke emotional responses and questions that simply make you think in a new or at least different way. We are so often in a mode where life is causing us to react emotionally that I think it's healthy to force ourselves to think emotionally and to think outside the box. It helps us stay the course when the sea of life is all but calm. Most (if not all) of these questions are to stimulate me personally. I struggle with many things on this Journey and these are just a sample. I am not intimating that I have answers or have followed my own emotional advice here. I am just trying to take more steps down my Path. I hope that in some way this helps you too.

Are you afraid of dying? If so, why? What specifically are you afraid of? If you imagined there was no Heaven or Hell, just absolute nothing, would you still be afraid? If you are not afraid, why do you think you are going to Heaven? And if you don't believe in Heaven and just think that death leads to that nothingness, aren't you afraid you are wrong?

Imagine you are daydreaming at a stop light, it turns green but you don't notice. After a second or two, the person behind you wails on his horn and as you look at his reflection in your rear view mirror, you see that he is VERY pissed off and giving you the finger. What is your reaction? Given that this really isn't happening to you, take a moment to imagine what you would like your reaction to be. On the other hand, if someone did this in front of YOU, what would your reaction be (would you be giving the finger)?

Imagine you are making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and you only have one knife and you have no way to truly clean the knife between spreading the jelly and the peanut butter. Is it better to get jelly in the peanut butter jar or peanut butter in the jelly jar?

Imagine what it must be like to live your life with nothing but just enough to keep yourself alive. Imagine that you live every day with hunger or thirst in your belly. Does this change the way you view your daily "grind"? Does it make you appreciate more the abundance that you have?

Is what you have enough or do you need more? If you believe you need more, why do you feel this way? What does more do for you? Does it cause you stress because you have more bills or does it truly make you more happy? Can you imagine having less of something and being happier? If so, what are the things you would like to have less of? How can you get rid of those things in your life?

When you are driving to and from work or any other destination and are alone, what do you do with that time? Do you zone out on the radio and/or on your wandering thoughts? Do you pray? Do you practice the Secret? Do you practice gratitude for the simple fact that you are alive in that moment? If not, try it. Now imagine the same scenario but with your children. Are you taking advantage of the time you have with yourself and/or with them?

What do you think your first boy/girlfriend doing right now? Do you think they ever think about you? When was the last time you thought about the first time you feel in love? How does it compare to the love you feel now? If you don't feel love now, what are you waiting for? There are 7 billion people on this planet and over 1 million in the Charlotte area.

When was the last time you hugged someone simply because you could tell they needed it? How often do you feel this way and do nothing about it? If you are uncomfortable giving hugs to acquaintances, why?

What makes you happy? Have you done one of those things for someone you love recently? Have you done one of those things for YOU lately? Make a list of simple things that make you happy and put a check by each one each time you do it for one week. See how you feel when you really focus on happiness.

Do you hold anything against anyone? If so, why? Is it worth it? What does it accomplish? What could you do to let go of it?

My daughter looked at me the other day and asked me why Daddy's wear such plain underwear. Isn't that a great question?!? Why do we lose so much of our childhood selves as we grow older? Wouldn't life be so much more fun if we viewed it through the eyes of a 6 year old? What other ways can you bring your childhood back into your life? When was the last time you played in the rain or built a sand castle with your child or wrestled in the yard with your dog? Life is short.

If God created the universe as many of us believe, do you really think he can be defined and/or his glory can be truly honored by just one religion? What makes Christianity (or any religion) "right" and all others "wrong"? On the other hand, if God created the universe, who created God?

If no one loved you, how would you feel? Do you know someone who needs love?