The Power of Positive Questions

In this short 3.5 minute episode you can find out how simply asking yourself positive questions can lift your mood.

Our thoughts, memories and beliefs we can imagine as an iceberg, however big they are only a small amount is visible.

Often the things that are most easy to notice or remember are the things that we are struggling with, the mistakes we have made, the bits we don’t like about ourselves and the things that have gone wrong. When we think of those things it can make us feel sad, angry and worried.

Those feelings can be really powerful and can be unpleasant to experience.

But just like the iceberg these things only make up a small amount of who we are, what we have accomplished and the qualities we possess.

When we’re able to remember all our achievements however big or small, all the things can be proud or grateful for, all the experiences that make us feel joy and excitement we feel very different.

It can sometimes feel hard to think about positive parts of us so we can use positive questions to help us think about them. We can use these positive questions at the start or the end of the day to help us feel all those positive things.

• What are the things I’m most proud of?

• What are my greatest achievements?

• What are the things and people I’m grateful for? or simply what are things going well today?

• What are the things I’m looking forwards to?

• What are the things that make me smile?

• What are the positive things that other people notice or say about me?

It doesn’t matter how big or small these things are, they all form part of who we are.

Sometimes it can feel hard to think of positives, particularly when we feel really worried, angry or sad. on those occasions we can think of what we want to happen in the future. What do we want to achieve? What are working towards? What would make us smile?

Try practicing asking your self positive questions, at a time that suits you. Just when you have a few moments to yourself. Notice how it makes you feel when you can think of all those positive things that have happened, that are happening and that could happen in the future.

Created by Jon Ford and Dr Bear