For a lot of people, freedom means that they are physically free – from imprisonment and restraint - but the ultimate and most exquisite form of freedom is making your own decisions and choices – having total control of your own life. Recognising and exercising this freedom means that you accept responsibility for your life in every respect - your thoughts, words, actions, choices, decisions and creations.

The quality of your choices and decisions can be determined by the quality of life you experience as a result of those choices and decisions.

The fact is that we don’t always believe that we have choices. We often believe that others have power over us – and that’s why they make our choices and decisions for us. The fact is that we give them the power to make our choices and decisions for us. Not choosing something is in fact also a choice – because you choose not to choose. Just because you feel helpless or powerless in a situation doesn’t mean that you are not choosing or making decisions. When you sit by and watch others control you are ultimately responsible for it because you decided to allow the control. You choose the event by allowing it.

In order to make really good choices and decisions you need to have a very good understanding of your own needs, fears, emotions, moods, desires, pain, strengths and weaknesses. This is called self-awareness.

Once you acknowledge that you create all your own experiences (through choice) you can become a truly self-empowered person. Self-awareness means that you can evaluate yourself from moment to moment and day by day and make decisions and changes based on the outcome you want.

The better you understand yourself, the better you are able to accept or change who you are. Remaining in the dark about yourself means that you will continue to get caught up in your own internal struggles and allow outside forces to influence, mould and shape you.

Introspection is the ability to examine and acknowledge your needs, fears, emotions, moods, desires, pain, strengths, weaknesses etc. I have compiled some questions which should help you on your journey to self-discovery. Be very specific when you answer them and be kind to yourself – do not judge yourself and do not feel guilty about anything. Simply become aware of what you need to change in order to have the outcome you want or desire for your life. You need to be totally honest with yourself - honesty requires courage.

It is through introspection that you will be able to become aware of and face your fears and uncover the inaccurate beliefs that created them.

Introspection questions

1. Who am I?
2. What is my purpose in life?
3. Why am I here?
4. What do I really want for my life?
5. Who do I want to spend my life with?
6. What makes me happy?
7. What makes me sad?
8. What makes me angry?
9. Do I have a right to be angry?
10. What do I feel guilty about?
11. Who do I need to forgive? Why?
12. Who needs to forgive me? Why?
13. What am I afraid of?
14. What are my strengths?
15. What are my weaknesses?
16. What opportunities do I have?
17. Are there any real threats on my path? What are they? What can I do about them?
18. How would my friends describe me?
19. What do I really enjoy?
20. What do I dislike?
21. What motivates me?
22. What are my values?
23. Am I true to myself?
24. When last did insist on having something?
25. Do I deserve a better life?
26. What steps should I take to get what I want?
27. What are my responsibilities?
28. How can I improve my life?
29. Do I have the right to control anyone else? Why? Why not?
30. How has my childhood affected me? Why? What can I do about it?
31. Do I jump to conclusions?
32. Am I judgmental?
33. How honest am I?
34. Do I live my life with integrity?
35. What effect do I have on others?
36. Am I a positive or negative person?
37. What would people say about the way I conducted my life if I died today?
38. What do I need to change about me in order to grow emotionally and spiritually?

What is your definition of the following words?

1. Inner peace
2. Acceptance
3. Truth
4. Joy
5. Trust
6. Anger
7. Success
8. Love
9. Fear
10. Sex
11. Friend
12. Guilt
13. Intention
14. Responsibility
15. Mistake

“We make our world significant by the courage of our questions,
and the depth of our answers.”
- Carl Sagan

By Elsabé Manning

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