I’ve attended WORLD BUSINESS FORUM BOGOTA and listened to Tasha Eurich, organizational psychologist, best-selling author of The New York Times and international speaker who talked about change management and self-awareness.
One of the many topics she addressed and I was attracted to was the idea of changing the way we ask ourselves some things in order to create a deeper self awareness. And it’s all about changing WHY to WHAT. For example: instead of asking yourself Why my workmates don’t value my work? for What are the patterns I have when presenting my results? The first question suggest a level of victimization, blaming others, and the second one is seeking your own responsibility and even opening a door to change and move away from your comfort zone.
This reminded me of an essential question that Demi Moore explains in her autobiographical book Inside Out: How did I get here? which can be easily understood as What brought me here? Demi asked herself this question after years of bad situations, errors that drove her to practically losing her family and herself. She spent too much time asking Why me? But when she was able to ask herself How did I get here? She literally found a way to free herself and find forgiveness.
Oprah Winfrey has a similar approach in her book (which I listen on Storytel) What happened to you? Is way more powerful instead of Why did such a thing happen to me? asking yourself What happened to me that such a thing hurts so much?
Thus, this morning I thought about the importance of self-awareness in a world going so fast, hyperconnected, with so little time to just stop and think, really think and observe.
So this morning I thank the curiosity that defines my life: it's not about answers, it's about better questions.