Experiencing a Challenging Circumstance?

Are you experiencing a difficult, unpleasant, awkward, negative, hurtful or harmful situation, event or person?

Here are some questions I’ve asked myself that have helped me through some hard times.

• What am I thinking?
• Am I believing the truth, lies or some faulty conclusion from the past?
• What am I feeling? Am I feeling what I need to feel? 
• What am I afraid of?
• How is this affecting me?
• Do I notice any physical sensations or tension in my body?
• Am I getting worked up? What can I do to calm down or soothe myself that in the end isn’t hurting me?
• Am I acting and responding appropriately?
• Am I saying what I need to say appropriately (truthfully and respectively) and to the appropriate person? 
• Do I need to alter my thinking, attitude, speech or way of doing something?
• Do I need to become assertive, caring, or vulnerable?
• What boundary do I need to set for myself?
• What do I need to do physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually to take care of myself?
• Do I need to journal, talk to a friend, go for a walk or pour my heart out to God?
• Is there anything I can change about this circumstance? Courageously start to do it.
• What do I need to accept? It doesn’t mean it’s right, good or that I like it. It means that it just is. The sooner I accept this reality, the sooner I can move on and the sooner I can make good and better choices.
• What useful thing can I learn from this? About myself, life, others.
• Do I need to work towards forgiving someone or myself?
• What is one thing I can give thanks for?
• What or who do I appreciate?
• What can I celebrate, whether it’s a baby step or a leap?