Ask More Questions
One of the key values for more enjoyable learning is a natural tendency for curiosity. Toddlers have this value imbedded in them and gradually lose it when the answers come less frequently, they are told to be quiet, or they learn that they are supposed to already know stuff. Think about your normal tendency to raise your hand in a classroom. You can break it down to those who would wag their arms in the air because they knew the answer and wanted the recognition, those who raised their hand partially because they believed that they probably knew the answer but didn’t really care about the recognition and those who never raised their hands whether they knew the answer or not. In third grade, my kind teacher let me know that if I had a question in between actual lessons, I could come up to her desk and ask her in person. She somehow realized that I was going through some severe need to remain unseen. I did raise my hand when I knew the answers in class but not wholeheartedly and not every time I knew the answer. I was pretty smart and told myself that I was giving others a chance to be heard.
Routine Questions
It’s counter intuitive that the word routine has multiple meanings. Humans are encouraged to create routines, meaning habits, to get through their days and nights in an efficient manner. Millions of words have been written to let you know what morning routine works best. Since there are so many, it seems that perhaps there must not really be a singular method to do so. It’s truer that morning routines are created by the needs of the inhabitants of the home. If you have ever had to wait outside the door of a bathroom to use one in the morning because someone was already in there, you get my drift. First come, first serve is the routine in many homes. The ironic second meaning of routine is the feeling that occurs when the established habit becomes normalized. It gets dull and can even be considered rote. The routine has lost its magic sparkle.
Life Questions
This time of the calendar year provides a natural moment in life to ask some life questions. It’s good to start with what is on your mind. If you take into account what you have been thinking about, you are paying attention to your own life. There is a natural tendency to review the past year and look for low tides. But it is equally exciting to acknowledge the high tides. It’s a good time to acknowledge your challenges and consider how to work with them, not overtake them. It’s also the time to try to replicate what went well. It’s important to remember that saying yes to some possibly silly things results in saying no to some things that might be super important. It’s alright to remember what worked well in the past but not remain in the past. It’s done. Your life deserves to have standards that propel it forward. There is no way that you are the same person you were five years ago and even more reason to plan who you want to be in twelve months. What great part of you do you want to give more airtime to and what needs to hit the bench?
Questions don’t need Answers
The resistance to question anything is based on what might pop up as the answer. But sometimes questions are just questions. Thoughts to ponder. They are a wholly formed thought. These questions are belief prompts. Questions are the result of curiosity. Questions are a return to our toddler-tendency to want to know more. This kind of trip back in time produces the future. Since we have reached this point in the year and have another 12 months of the wonderful unknown ahead, start your questions. The answers might not be available yet, and that is perfectly okay. The time ahead will gradually give the answers.
What would happen if you questioned everything? What question starts your day and ends your day? What question can you let go of?
