If you've ever seen my Instagram or Facebook Stories, you'll know I post a #QUESTIONOFTHEDAY. Generally, I will have one posted after a long day when I've had time to reflect. The subject matter can be random, but I like to keep it relatively focused on development and growth in different areas of my life. I find the process very interesting as I'm able to create a question to ask myself, but also ask other people to gain better insight. Initially, I didn't realize people would want to respond to the questions that I asked, but they did. As a result, it became a valuable tool.
How It All Started
On a whim one morning in November 2015, I decided to create a Snap on Snapchat asking my friends a rhetorical question about the weather and why it was so unbelievably warm outside. I knew it wasn't typical for Virginia temperatures to be around 60 degrees or more during the holiday season and I wondered how everyone else felt in the heat wave around my area. Little did I know, I started a trend which would become a daily routine. As time went on, I continued to post questions daily to my Instagram and Facebook Stories and much less frequently on Snapchat.
When I initially started posting questions, some people mocked me and made fun of the questions while others would express how excited they were to see what question I would be asking for the day. I've had a multitude of reactions from people as a result of the questions I ask. Some express how upset they are because it makes them think about how far behind they are on their goals, others joke around about the topic, and many thank me for asking because it reminds them of how far they've come. It's become a habit I enjoy and can prove to be somewhat therapeutic at times.
Why Ask?
I could have easily decided to end asking daily questions, but I found it quite useful. I would encounter certain situations or have interesting conversations with people during the day and wondered what other people would think. It helped me discover different points of view from other people without directly describing what prompted a question. For example, if I had a bad day, I would think about how I'm feeling and ask myself a question related to growth, meaning, or purpose. Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of the day, I would use them to as motivation to help me determine if what I'm doing is beneficial to my life. Later in the day, I would use that same question and post it for everyone else to think about.
I started varying the questions and aimed them in a direction I thought would be more beneficial to myself; I knew that if they really made me think then anyone else reading the questions would also probably need to think of some type of answer. I like to ask questions that apply to my life and my goals, but also focus on how I can grow. People have a tendency to be stuck on autopilot and forget to think due to being distracted. Luckily for people that are connected to my social media accounts, they'll have a daily reminder to think.
What I've Learned
It's been a great experience asking questions. I've learned many things along the way. From the responses I've received, most people want family, happiness, love, money, success, and to travel more often. Unfortunately, they aren't taking the necessary steps to reach those goals. Fear of failure seems to constantly be holding them back. I can say from my own personal experience that it takes courage to realize what needs to change and implement a strategy to reach your goals. If I were to give any advice to people reading my questions, or anyone else for that matter, it would be to focus on being the greatest version of yourself and never stop asking questions; keep learning each day. Now tell me, what is your #QUESTIONOFTHEDAY?
