10 questions to guide your thinking into 2024

Anolene Thangavelu Pillay is a Psychology Advisor. Picture: Supplied

Anolene Thangavelu Pillay is a Psychology Advisor. Picture: Supplied

Published Dec 11, 2023

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ANOLENE THANGAVELU PILLAY

In this digital age, we are constantly striving to gain new insights into healthier living.

To navigate life effortlessly, it is necessary to understand our values and priorities. We often realise that the most valuable lessons are not only found in the answers but also in the questions that are asked. The wisdom of historical figures provide us with insights that can potentially reshape and guide our thinking into 2024; focus on questions that are relevant to living ‘now’.

What would your ideal day consist of? Craft your day with purpose and you will find yourself building a life that aligns with your deepest desires. It’s about carving out time for aspects that have a meaningful impact on your life.

This question serves as a guide for making intentional choices that lead to the life you envision. Achieving a life that aligns with your personal and professional goals is not a matter of wishful thinking but requires a deliberate effort.

Who is your companion? Consider individuals who are striving towards a healthier lifestyle. The company you keep plays a pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of your life journey. Ensure that your companions are aligned with your values and aspirations. If your circle promotes personal growth, you are likely to thrive. Conversely, if you choose toxic companions, you may hinder your progress.

Is life within your control? Life often throws challenges our way, it is essential to recognise what we can control and what is beyond our control. Focus your thinking and energy on the controllable: our efforts, choices and reactions.

Our plans can be disrupted and our energy can be drained due to external factors and the actions of others. To maintain composure and make smart decisions, a shift in mindset is crucial. With the mastery of this distinction, you can handle challenges with resilience and develop a sense of urgency towards your destiny.

How are you assessing your life? While personal accomplishments can be fulfilling during life’s journey, their true significance emerges when they contribute to the betterment of humanity. Are you actively creating a legacy of impact that goes beyond personal gains? The answer could help reshape your goals.

What do you miss when you choose to worry or be afraid? The answer may reveal unexplored potential and opportunities. This question asks you to weigh the pros and cons of investing your emotional energy in negative emotions. When you feel trapped in a world of anxiety, worrying is a distraction from positive reinforcement. The mental energy that is consumed by worrying could be directed towards problem-solving or creative thinking.

Are you focused on your goal? Despite life’s many distractions, ask yourself: Are you focused on moving forward or are you distracted by the problems of others? Stay focused on your goals by being disciplined and clear. Being overly entangled in the affairs of others can distract you from your own critical goals.

What is your highest priority? The noise of daily demands and societal expectations is reduced by this question. By identifying your main priority, you can create a path forward: align your actions strategically with a deliberate choice to invest time and energy that aligns with your authentic self.

Does life truly matter? This question urges us to think about how much time we devote to the unimportant and the truly important aspects of our lives. Avoid being entangled in minor frustrations for a longer period of time. By questioning your obstacles, recognise that not everything that captures your attention is worthy of your emotional investment. Using your thoughts and emotions for unimportant matters is a disservice to your well-being and progress.

What lessons can you draw from challenges? This question shifts the thinking of challenges towards opportunities for personal growth and learning, encouraging us to gain wisdom from adversity. Adopt a resilient and growth mindset, challenges are not roadblocks, challenges are classrooms for adaptability, uncovering insights with newfound knowledge, challenges are stepping stones for personal and professional evolution.

Are you willing to embrace change? Life becomes easier when you filter out distractions and focus on what truly counts. To reshape our thinking, we need to accept, the nature of change allows us to navigate life uncertainties with grace.

Living your life in the ‘now’ can keep you grounded in times of uncertainty. Our humanity is rooted in our capacity to reason and think deeply, which sets us apart from other forms of life. For the most part, it is not the outer world that is the problem, but rather our internal world. By asking these questions, you acquire a mindset that see changes as being chapters in a dynamic journey that feels truly meaningful and a guiding star towards a new beginning.

Anolene Thangavelu Pillay is a Psychology Advisor.

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