At the end of the year, I spend a lot time reflecting on the past and envisioning the future. Obviously, this year there’s even more changes coming for my family (with our first little Pumpkin due in June.) It’s the end of one chapter and the beginning of the next. Our last “adults-only” holiday for quite a while… which is both wonderful and sad in different ways. (Time to pull out Cards Against Humanity for one more completely inappropriate set of laughs.)
For many of us this time of year can feel very intense with a giant mix of emotions… both joyful and painful at times. That’s why emotional state management becomes crucial. That’s why one of the best tools to help you navigate this season are empowering questions to help you focus your attention.
I would certainly encourage you to learn to create your own empowering questions because it’s the one practice that can dramatically impact every area of your life. But, in the meantime, as a gift to help you make your holiday season brighter, here are 10 quick questions that you could use to keep your energy and emotions in the most empowering space.
10 Empowering Questions for the Holidays (and beyond)
1. What specifically could bring me more joy today?
2. How can I focus on being completely present in this moment right now?
3. How easily can I allow myself to feel completely happy?
4. What’s one thing I can do today to express love to someone?
5. Who do I most want to share this moment with and how can I invite them to share it right now?
6. Where can I see beauty right now?
7. What specifically can I do to take amazing care of myself right now?
8. How can I make sure that every member of my family knows that I love them?
9. What’s most important to me right now?
10. How can I invite even more peace into this moment right now?
How to use these questions
The questions provide inspiration and focus for your mind, energy, and attention. So, you can write them into your morning journal along with your answers. You can muse over them during your morning coffee. You can pull them out when things start feeling overwhelming or when things start feeling joyful.
If you want, you could use this list like an Advent calendar through the rest of December… one question each day to help you stay emotionally connected to what matters most right now: deeply feeling the joy and peace of the holiday season.
If you are going to use the questions like an advent calendar, then here’s my bonus question for New Year’s Eve:
- How can I celebrate the end of this year and open myself fully to an amazing New Year?
Then, on New Year’s day… create your own empowering question and continue the practice into the New Year. There’s likely no better practice to start your year off beautifully!
Happiest of holidays to you!
