Need a straightforward route to figuring out what you want in life? Tune into your inner compass using these five questions. (We recommend asking yourself these daily and recording the answers. It gives you an easy record for seeing how you’ve progressed and a way to hold yourself accountable once you’ve identified what’s holding you back!)
What would I do if I wasn’t afraid?
Start a company, take up a new hobby, rekindle an old friendship, take a yoga class, try sushi. Think big, but also think small! Fear holds us back in so many ways. Living your best life means tackling those fears one by one, no matter the size. If fear is keeping you from pursuing something that would make you happy, it is worthwhile to spend some time addressing it.
What am I actually afraid of?
Your fear may be driven by more abstract ideas: failure, disappointment, embarrassment, feeling silly in your yoga class trying to master Downward Facing Dog. Or if may be concrete, like not making enough money or losing a relationship. Naming your fear gives you power over it, just like using Voldemort’s name in Harry Potter. Once you know what you’re afraid of, you can start working towards counteracting that fear.
What do you want today?
Community, financial stability, a satisfying relationship, confidence? Get at the heart of what you’re seeking. You may not reach what you want today, but acknowledging that you want it right now is powerful. It lets you keep that desire burning as you take steps towards attaining what you want.
What can you start doing today?
What’s a step you can take to counteracting that fear? Reevaluate the possibility of solo entrepreneurship, sign up for a class, ask for mentoring advice from a friend. How can you actively work towards not letting that fear hold you back this very day?
What can you stop doing today?
This is the hardest question. Stopping things we’re accustomed to doing is hard. Whether that means giving up one morning each week of hitting the snooze button to hit sunrise yoga or stopping pricing your work so low it’s not turning a profit, or ending a relationship that’s just not going anywhere…this won’t be easy. But you can do it. You can fight your own Voldemorts in your life by doing the hard work of pruning things in your life that don’t fit with your vision for your happiness.
You’ve got this.