Thoughts and feelings (2)

In spare moments, when nothing in particular is going on, what do you think about?

Allies (1)

Think of the most recent time you were introduced to someone. In your first impression of that person, did you privately lean towards thinking of him or her as a (potential) ally, or as a (potential) rival?

Things that can't be seen (5)

"Seeing is believing," the saying goes, but we also believe in many things that we've never seen, and  things that can be seen only indirectly.  What are a few of the things that play an important role in your life, even though you've never seen them? 

Quiet entrance

Not everything shows up with a bang and a flourish. What is one thing that slipped onto the stage almost unnoticed and gradually become more important and prominent in your life?

This week's theme is gradual change.

Gradual change

Sometimes change occurs gradually and over such a long period of time that you don't notice it until you stop to think about it.   What is something in your life that has changed a great deal, but very slowly?

This week's theme is gradual change.

That big thing right there

For all the attention we pay to shark attacks, for example, they are actually rare events that occupy a very small part of our lives.  What are some things in your life with the opposite profile — things that take up a lot of our time or occupy a lot of space, though we rarely talk about them or even pay attention to them?

This week's theme is your forgotten side.

Now I feel dirty

Some things just feel dirty, even when they're not actually dirty or infectious. Is there something that makes you feel the need for hand washing (or some other form of cleaning), even though you'll admit it's not logically necessary?

This week's theme is dirty and clean.

Fast and slow

In music, you can ruin the beauty of a piece just by playing it too slow or too fast. The same principle applies in ordinary life: our day suffers when we try to move ahead at the wrong tempo. How does the pace of your life feel right now: is it about right, too fast, or too slow?

This week's theme is fast and slow.

In an inconspicuous corner

Why didn't the calendar makers put Leap Day on December 32? Perhaps they decided February is the least disruptive place to add in an extra day. What is something else in your world that's sometimes there, sometimes not there, but doesn't draw much attention to itself when it changes?

This week's theme is Leap Day.

Idle thoughts

What are five things that you often find yourself daydreaming about?

This week's theme is Top Five.

When all is still

In the quietest moments, what sounds can you still hear?

This week's theme is your world's soundtrack.

Early symptoms

Think of one of the recent problems that erupted in your life and suddenly required a lot of your time and attention. What warning signs could have alerted you to the problem ahead of time, if you had known what to look for?

This week's theme is pointing the way.

The shoe doesn't fit

Well-meaning advice can be useless if it's based on overly rosy assumptions about your situation. For example: "Too busy? Learn to delegate more tasks to your staff!"

What's a less obvious but equally unhelpful piece of advice that you still try to follow, even though it completely doesn't fit your circumstances?

This week's theme is ideal circumstances.

Good things

Today, keep your eyes open for the little things that make your day better or easier, things that you could easily take for granted. What are some of the helpful or beautiful things in your life that you sometimes forget to appreciate?

This week's theme is gratitude.

Now it's your turn

You don't always recognize a turning point when it happens. What is a recent event that might represent a significant turning point for you, even if it's too soon to know for sure?

This week's theme is turning points.

Time out

One of the benefits of daily meditation is that it opens up a space outside of our usual agendas and our habitual patterns of thought. Do you meditate? Do you have some other activity that sets aside some "empty space" in your day?

This week's theme is empty space.

Well-illuminated areas

Self-awareness is one of the goals of this blog. By looking at one new thing every day, we become more aware of our selves and our surroundings. What is one aspect of your life that you're already keenly aware of, much more than most people are? What are the things that life has forced you to learn to pay particularly close attention to?

This week's theme is Milestone 1000.

Smile

In the past 24 hours, who made you feel happy?

In sharp contrast

What's an example of something in your life that's clean, organized, in good order, and well cared for? And what's something that's a mess, not quite working, and in desperate need of attention?

A head start

What is one simple thing that you could do today to put yourself in a stronger position for tomorrow?