What if today I believe I am strong enough? by Audrey Thompson

#3 of 101 invitations to grow, change, and make room for more goodness in your life — starting this very day

So many times we are weary of the struggle. We are spent. Hurting. We think we are too weak to make it through another day, another step, another obstacle, another “No.”

All we want to do is give in to the dismay, the grief, the anger, the fear.

These are the times when we most easily forget the resources that are always with us: the inner fortitude of our deepest goals and yearnings, and the unlimited ability to rally them for ourselves and others who depend on us.

Yes, it is good to take time to rest and reassess a situation when we think have reached our limit.

But resting is not the same as giving up or giving in.

It is merely a pause while we remind ourselves that we are strong, and capable, and able to take on each new task with grace and strength.

What if, today, you believe you are strong enough to do whatever you think you can’t, or whatever you think you must?

What moment of rest could you give yourself now, in order to tap into the fortitude that is intrinsically yours? How might this strength serve yourself or another who needs your support?

Tips for engaging with the power of this question

If this “What if, today, I…?” question intrigues you, irritates you, gives you butterflies, or shivers your skin, then pay attention: it holds an answer that points your way through a problem.

There is no right or wrong way to engage with this gift, but four simple steps can help:

1. Jot down a situation you’d like to apply this question to. Optional: Also rate your current feelings about the situation — sadness, anger, fear, and/or happiness — on a scale of 1 to 10 for each emotion.

2. Take time to view the situation in light of the question. For example:

• Meditate on the question in quiet.
• Follow it as if it is guidance from a good friend.
• Post it on your bathroom mirror and think about it every morning for a week.
• Include it as a leading question in a visualization practice, to reveal and understand your next step.
• Share and discuss it with others in a weekly “What if, today, I…?” club.
• Explore your options around the question with a trusted colleague or family member.
• Apply it as the day’s mantra.
• Ask it of a younger person and pay attention to the answer.
• Use it as a prayer in seeking a decision that serves you best.
• Ask it of your dreams before you sleep and write down any answers as soon as you wake up.

3. After sitting with this question for a while, record any new perspective, insights, or emotional shifts you’ve gained from your exploration. Optional: Once again rate your current level of sadness, anger, fear, and/or happiness about the situation on a scale of 1 to 10, noting any differences from when you started.

4. As needed, repeat the process over time until you reach a greater sense of clarity and emotional equilibrium around the situation. If this “What if, today, I…?” question really hits home, stay with it for several days, a month, or for as long as it has meaning and freshness.