I am a huge fan of inquiry. Everyone who knows me knows that I ask a lot of questions. OK, maybe I ask too many questions.
I love questions because I am naturally curious and open to learning more about what people and life experiences can teach me.
Oprah's Dr. Martha Beck has called me a "Quester." The definition of a quester is a seeker: someone making a search or inquiry; "they are seekers after truth." In addition, the root word of question is "quest." As a verb the word "inquire" means to ask questions or to search, explore or investigate.
In my life coaching practice, I use "The Work" of Byron Katie to help client’s question their thoughts. Katie has developed a powerful process of inquiry to help people question thoughts that cause them suffering. Katie says that suffering is an option. Once you learn how to question your thoughts and turn them around, you realize that most of your thoughts are not true. This work is truly life changing!
Prior to becoming a master certified life coach with Martha Beck, I studied Appreciative Inquiry (AI) with The Corporation for Positive Change. Appreciative Inquiry is a learning process for both individuals and organizations to create an opening for new possibilities or to learn something new. Appreciative Inquiry appreciates and values the best and most positive attributes of people and organizations and then moves that forward.
Last week, my husband John and I had a small gathering of friends over for dinner. After dinner we sat around the fire, and I pulled out my box of Table Topics. Several questions we selected to ask each other included "Do you have any regrets about your life so far,” and "Which historical figure would you most like to meet.” We had a wonderful time listening to everyone's answers and deepening the conversation that evening.
I was so inspired by the evening that I decided to write blog posts in 2009 around topics that bring more meaning and purpose in our lives.
As 2008 comes to a close, I’ve been thinking about what I want to create in my life in 2009. Because inquiry is a real part of my life, I’ve decided to write blog posts around questions that cause us to think deeply about our life in order for us all to live more consciously.
P.S. In addition to exploring inquiry with people and organizations, I love to explore to the world. So I’ve used one of my favorite words "adventure" and attached it to this time of my life – midlife. My goal is to inspire you to question your thoughts and perceptions about this time of your life and live your life as if it were a grand adventure. I hope to encourage you to expand the outer edges of your comfort zone rather then to shrink them as you grow older.
I wish you peace and happiness in 2009.
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