Bedtime, a.k.a the time you recap the day’s events, is the perfect time to tune in carefully to your thoughts and decipher your feelings and behaviors. Your closing thoughts of the day should always be positive. One of the saddest phrases in the English language is “if only” and maybe the only way we wouldn’t be tarnished with so much regret is if we understood ourselves better. When we’re young, we do things and half the time we don’t know why we do them, but there’s always a reason. So before we bid farewell to the world every night, we should seek answers from within ourselves that will help us be better functioning adults.
1- What did I learn today?
Our educational journey ends, but we never stop learning. That’s why we’re here. A day’s worth should be measured by what you learned in the 24 hours that were given to you. And in this modern age, the urge to learn should be greater than ever. Because in a world full of specialists, we can only stand out by having many skills.
2- Was today a step forward or a step back?
Not everyday will be a step forward because that’s life; some days are designed to kick the crap out of you! But we all have aims and goals and work everyday to reach them. It’s okay if there are days where you just want to go with the flow, but sometimes the flow will feel like it’s going against you. And when that happens, you should go against it.
3- Did I do everything I set out to do today?
We all wake up and set intentions for the day ahead, yet sometimes we struggle to finish all what we’ve set out to do. It’s mostly because we were unrealistic about how much time we had and tried to take on too much. We all get the inspiration in the morning to start a lot of projects and usually fail to complete them. This is usually a sign that we’re off balance and lack direction. This makes it all the more important to contemplate why we didn’t finish today’s to-do list.
4- How honest was I today?
The end goal of life is to live authentically and become someone who can look themselves in the mirror without so many what ifs. Because in the dead of night, all the what ifs will taunt you and remind you that things could have been different if only you were brave in this or that particular moment. This is why you need to pinpoint the moments you felt brave and the moments you hesitated to say the truth.
5- What would I have rather been doing today?
Because most probably whatever it is you would have rather been doing is what you want to do. Ask yourself this question every night and see which answer you get the most. And whatever the answer is, know that this is what you should be doing with your life. Start setting S.M.A.R.T goals, list down how you’ll achieve them and begin!
6- What am I scared of?
Repeatedly ask yourself this because often times than not, people’s fears change a lot. You won’t be able to overcome all that comes your way if you don’t know what you’re scared of. Identifying your fear is the first step to overcoming it. There won’t ever come a point in which you’re not scared because once you overcome one fear, it will be replaced by another. And it’s important to keep track of what you’re scared of in order to differentiate between rational decisions and decisions simply made out of fear.
7- Did I waste any opportunities today?
Sometimes our inability to recognize our fears pushes us to waste opportunities, because we fool ourselves into thinking we’re exhibiting “good judgement”. It’s human nature to decline an offer, pass on a night out, not sign up for a class because we’re subconsciously afraid of failure and being ridiculed.
8- What do I like the most about myself?
Every night, state one trait you admire about yourself. It’s as simple as that, because seeking internal validation is the first and foremost important gift you owe yourself.
9- What do I need to change about myself?
But just like we’re easy on ourselves, we should have the capacity to also be hard on ourselves. Don’t become too attached to any part of your identity and let it be just because you’re accustomed to being “the lazy friend” or “the one with too many inconsistencies”. People will label you, but proverbial labels don’t stick. You’re allowed to change whatever needs changing about yourself. The key is to change one bad trait at a time, otherwise you’ll end up where you started!
10- If you got to relive the day, what would you do differently?
This is not always a futile question. Yes, you can’t go back and change the past, but you’re not making useless wishes on shooting stars. You’re asking yourself this to learn more about yourself, so you wouldn’t do it again tomorrow or you’d make a note to do more of it the day after.
Don’t ask yourself these questions because you’re dwelling on the past. Ask yourself these questions because you don’t want to repeat it. Because you want tomorrow to be different. Sweet dreams!
