Internal factors
- How do I act and behave in times of temptation to pleasures?
- What are my beliefs about pleasures I give in the most?
- Do I give myself in to pleasures instead doing what I must do?
- How am I feeling about myself giving in to pleasures instead doing what I must do?
- What do I believe about life security and safety right now?
- What are some false security beliefs that I have, keeping me away from achieving what I want?
- Do I know what I truly want, what my authentic life purpose is?
- What do I believe I am doing wrong in my life?
- How comfortable do I feel with things I don’t want and yet I have them in my life?
- Am I in a trap of pleasures over the life affirming feelings of gratification?
- Am I drinking, smoking pot, not exercising, gaming, eating, and escaping to other pleasures instead doing what I must do when I have to do it?
- Do I change from one commitment to another quickly or often?
- Do I tend to moderate what I want when it seems too hard to get it?
- When do I feel being hurt the most?
External factors
- What are the pleasures I tend to give in to?
- What are few top things prevents me of being successful, more efficient, productive, creative, loving, loved, slim, fit, happy, etc?
- What are few top things preventing me to live my Purposeful Authentic Life?
- What / Who is hurting me right now?
- What gives me a false sense of security?
- What is giving me most comfort right now and in general?
- Do I allow outside influence to change my one commitment for another one quickly or often?
- What are few top things making me chose to keep myself from being happy, successful, loved, etc?
- What am I grateful for right now, today, in my life?
- Who are the people in my life I am most grateful for?
- What would be the kindest thing right now I can do to myself?
- If I’d have the power to do just anything and money is not an issue, what would that be?
- What is that I love to do, think of, engage with?
- What is that I really want? Is what I want worth taking risks, spending time and resources?
- What is bringing a smile on my face and lightness to my heart?
- What is that I am best at?
- What do I believe about myself in moments of success?
- What are my most supportive habits helping me achieve my goals?
- What are some life affirming activity that when I do them I totally lose track of time, I enjoy them and they gives me a sense of fulfillment?
- When is that I feel energized, enthused, great, gratified and that feeling last long time?
- What are some activities that I feel inspired and gratified and that feeling last long time?
- What are some actions / activities / engagements that when I do them, they always move me forward?
- When do I feel most inspired? What is inspiring me the most? Who inspires me the most?
- What do you need right now the most?
- What is the worst thing that could happen here and what are some solutions for it?
Self-empowering exercise
The Present is the present of the present the only moment we are fully empowered to take responsibility for our life and to create a change toward what we want.
Retreat to quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Before anything, set an intention for this meditation, as a positive affirmation. For example: I want to resolve… If you have an established meditative practice, exercise it. If you don’t have one, simply focus on your long slow breathing. Breathe in the ease, the all-knowing and love into your heart and follow your breath in. Exhale, exhaling out your discomfort, fear, quilt, shame, anger, blame, any burden of your shoulders. While exhaling follow your breath out until you cannot follow it any more. Do that for few minutes. Make a statement: I completely love and accept myself now for who and what I am. I am the best and the only candidate for the job of my life and I love it. I love and accept myself now. Repeat that statement for several time and notice the change with in self. If you feel like chanting then chant. If you feel like moving, dancing, do that. Allow yourself to be free in your entire and complete expression that you are. Then stay in silence and ask yourself: “What is that I need to know right now?” Allow yourself for the answer to come to you, be it as a direct knowing, image, sentence someone tells you, etc. When the answer comes, you will know.
Start your day with a question: What am I willing to trade my life for today? Who are the people I want to spend most of the time with?
Questions for reflection
The only risk of being inspired is that it won’t cost you a thing and it might make your life even better.
Reflection is integral part of any transformative process. Reflecting on our insights, achieved new learnings or new awareness also assist us to better integrate this new learnings into our life. Following there are number of questions outlined assisting that process. This is an open ended list of questions and the reader is invited to make their own.
- What experiences did you recall while reading this Power Tool?
- How did this power tool helped you to create awareness?
- To what extent and how did this power tool helped you to shift your perspectives?
- What do you believe makes people rather to choose pleasures and false security over gratification and PAL?
- Think of a situation in which you were caught up in pleasures. What was the deception you were in? What were the feelings connected to it? How did handle the situation?
- What does security do for you and what does pleasures do for you?
- What do false security and pleasures do to you, your relationships, commitments, effectiveness, productivity, dreams? Remember a time when you were able to stretch out from your comfort zone.
- Can you remember a time you were totally consumed in doing something you like not being aware of time and space. How is that related to your PAL?
- What are some personal techniques or hints that you developed or can develop to achieve gratification as often as possible and to keep you on Purposeful Authentic Life – PAL direction?
- What questions would you ask a client who is overly holding on to pleasures and false security? How would you know you are not siting in your comfort zone right now?
- What need to change in your life to make you want living your Purposeful Authentic Life – PAL? Where are you right now in your life in relation to where you want to be and where are you in relation to your Purposeful Authentic Life – PAL?