“We live in the world our questions create.” —David Cooperrider
Humans are estimated to have about 60,000 thoughts per day and 95% of those thoughts are the same from the previous day – which leaves us with only 5% new and creative thoughts. In addition, the majority of those thoughts are negative. (See Simple Capacity.com)
Take a few moments to think about the quote by David Cooperrider. What kinds of questions are most common in your mind? For many of us they are negative questions: What if this happens? What if that doesn’t happen? What if I don’t make it? LOTS of negative ‘what if’ questions swirl around our minds, especially in times of transition and change – like retirement! Transforming your years after 50 into a fulfilling time of life can be enhanced by changing this typical pattern.
Mendhi Audlin has written a book, What If It All Goes Right?: Creating a New World of Peace, Prosperity & Possibility, which gives us a tool for changing our questions.
She encourages us to ask ourselves What If UP questions. Basically, the idea is to flip or reframe our negative thoughts or ‘what if’ questions into positive questions. Instead of ‘What if it’s all downhill from here?’ say ‘What if I had a fabulous final segment of my life, filled with joy, contribution and fulfillment?’ If that kind of question dominates our thoughts, we are creating a very different reality.
Here are 10 positive ‘What If’ questions. They can provide a positive framework for your anticipation and planning for transforming your years after 50. I will list them here and address each one in future posts.
1) What if gratitude were the over-riding tone of your life? 2) What if your positive expectations created a positive retirement?
3) What if you could learn about, learn to do, and do many things that bring you joy?
4) What if you were a person of extreme health, wellness and energy throughout your retirement years?
5) What if you made significant contributions of many kinds to family, community and the world in the coming years?
6) What if the next phase of your spiritual/faith journey was invigorating and joyful beyond imagination?
7) What if you left a stunning legacy to your family and others?
8) What if you generated any needed money in creative, fulfilling ways?
9) What if your current relationships became better and better and you created new fulfilling relationships regularly?
10) What if you had a fabulous final segment of life, filled with joy, contribution and fulfillment?
There is a separate blog post addressing each of these questions; Click on “10 Questions to Ask Yourself to Open Possibilities” in the sub-heading below the title of this blog post.
In addition, REINVENT YOUR LIFE, TRANSFORMING YOUR LIFE AFTER 50 INTO A TIME OF JOY & FULFILLMENT,
a FREE report, is available if you provide your name and email address so that I can send it to you.
