Small Shifts, Big Difference: Review Questions That Reframe the Day

Are you off course? This is a particularly relevant question if you're in new territory or creating something new, and more often than not, we find ourselves in that situation. Even if we believe we're doing the same thing, the world around us is volatile and constantly evolving. How does this initial question help? It does so by highlighting that the more frequently you review your direction and signs of progress, the better you can course correct — potentially saving resources and avoiding frustrations.

[It turns out that not many people do this very often]

There is another, deeper, morphogenic level to the question. It is a form of soul or wisdom enquiry that asks, Is this still the right path, or is there something else I would prefer instead? Am I still the same person I was when I began this journey?

In Day Crafting, we're emphasising the cadence of a day as a good rhythm for reviewing our work, energy and objectives. It can help to use different techniques as review questions, that force us to think more objectively or creatively about the answers and bypass some of our too-familiar, habitual responses.

Exploring Self-Reflection Through Emphasis, Timing, and Review Questions

A straightforward approach could be a simple question you ask yourself: how am I? We're used to asking and answering that question fairly often, usually with a short answer like 'I'm fine'. However, our response to the question shifts when we change the emphasis, timing, or perspective.

• If I ask myself: how am I honestly, I might pause and give myself permission to think more deeply.

• If I ask myself: imagine a month has passed, how would I answer how I was looking back to today? Whatever my answer, it might wisely remind me that moods, emotions and even situations shift and change.

• If I ask myself: how would my best friend (partner, favourite grandparent, wisest counsellor, supreme being, etc) say I was, it would force a shift in perspective which would give me yet another answer.

Emphasis, time and perspective shifts in frame are all helpful lateral thinking prompts.

The Practice

In the context of Day Crafting, here are some review questions that you can ask yourself at any time that are intended to bring perspective and wisdom back to the the day(s) you are crafting. If you never need to shift your course, you're a wiser person than most.

NOW

• What's the smallest thing I can do right now that'll have the biggest impact on the rest of my day?

• Where is my attention now, can I bring it back to the working surface?

• Is what I'm doing filling or draining my energy?

TODAY

• Are particular moods or emotions causing me to behave in ways I want to review?

• Is today happing to me or is today happening by my?

• Looking back in a years time, what might I wish I had done more of today?

PROJECT (typically two weeks)

• Am I delighted by what I'm making?

• Am I being enriched by how I'm solving this project's challenges?

• Am I giving this current situation too much attention? Is my perspective skewed?

SEASON

• What remarkable days can I craft during this season?

• What connections, that deeply enrich me, can I make more time for?

• What stage am I at with my Day Crafting skill development?

YEAR

• In the year that's passed, what are the biggest accomplishments that I'm overlooking?

• In the year that's passed, which of my Day Crafting practices have made the most difference?

• Considering the year ahead, what might be the biggest risks to my craftwork aspirations?

If you want to develop a regular review discipline, set a diary reminder to yourself.