from 87 Self-Reflection Questions for Introspection
Am I using my time wisely?
God, no - procrastination, hummingbird passions, sporadic depression, nap roulette...
Am I taking anything for granted?
trying not to. Trying to be grateful for the blessings in my life, even when they appear at first blush to be complicated.
Am I waking up in the morning ready to take on the day?
I wake up in the morning ready to get it over with, five out of seven
Am I thinking negative thoughts before I fall asleep?
yep. This job is like a wound that won't heal, rarely leaving my mind for very long. Just a moment ago I was thinking about a project that I need to finish before the end of the month so that I can do the same damned project next month (only with 66% more items). There's not enough Tylenol in the world for all the headaches this gives me.
Am I putting enough effort into my relationships?
probably too much
Am I taking care of myself physically?
I got rather a lot of sweets as gifts this year. I'm trying to do an adequate amount of exercise to compensate.
Am I letting matters that are out of my control stress me out?
yeah...
What worries me most about the future?
financial uncertainty
If this were the last day of my life, would I have the same plans for today?
no. But maybe that's my problem.
What am I really scared of?
I swear, it's dogs and heights
What am I doing about the things that matter most in my life? trying. Really.
that is a very good question. At right, in photographic form, is one answer.
Have I done anything lately that’s worth remembering?
yes.
Have I made someone smile today?
yes, I misspelled something in an email to numerous people, which amused my best friend to no end
What have I given up on?
turning cartwheels, unrepentant day-drinking, and a MacArthur grant
When did I last push the boundaries of my comfort zone?
October.
It was not the right move.
If I had to instill one piece of advice in a newborn baby, what advice would I give?
I would never presume to do this. Babies come into this world perfect and untainted. It is the meddling and dysfunction of adults that creates problems that hound us through our lives. Anyway, anything that I might know is relevant to me, not to any innocent child.
What small act of kindness was I once shown that I will never forget?
a friend from the library heard over the lunch table buzz that I was homesick but too low on cash to pay for gas to get back here. A couple of hours later she stopped by my desk and handed me an envelope. Inside was money enough for gas to get me home and back, and a note saying to have a good time. She refused to let me pay her back. That spontaneous generosity, kindness, and care has stuck with me.
How will I live, knowing I will die?
same as I ever have. Death is nothing new.
Is it more important to love or be loved?
it's not a matter of "more important," and rarely does one exist without the other. The notion of quantity or equality in love disturbs me from a philosophical standpoint—the cutesy 'I love you more!' ad campaigns or the repetitive conversations between twenty-somethings about 'she doesn't love me as much as I love her....'—as if love were a substance that could be measured, and if it could, that it should be! Love is rare and precious, yet infinite in every way.
How many of my friends would I trust with my life?
in what sense? I know someone who could physically protect me from absolutely anything, if he remembered that I exist on the planet - which is doubtful. I have another friend who would do anything for me, but is in a lot of ways ineffectual when it comes right down to it. And my best friend, who I know would die for me and who I trust more than anyone, is also a realist. There is a point at which we both recognize that whatever we could do for each other would not be enough.
[from here; the title quotation is by Stephen King, from The Drawing of the Three]
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