A Simple Question for Discovering Goodness

Ready or not, here August comes!

A new month invites a chance for reflection, exploration, and possibility. In the therapeutic process, one of the central questions a clinician is asked to keep in mind is this:

What works?

Notice what this questions is not: What’s wrong? What’s the problem? What’s pathological?

Asking what’s working is an invitation to look for the generative, healing edge of a person’s life path.

And this month, I need a little generation. A little gentle heat. A little more awareness of what’s supportive, what’s safe, and what’s loving.

I took a few moments to make a little list of the life-giving things. Flexibility and flow is a personal value, so my intention here is to remember and name rather than mold a new form of self-discipline. I’m looking for goodness, not a self-improvement plan.

So, what’s working for you? Is it the podcast you’re listening to on the commute to work? Shifting the weight of your child when she rests on your hip? Feeling warm sun on your bare shoulders? Jumping in cold water? Calling an old friend for a catch up? Turning off your phone and tuning into a good book?

Take a moment to make note of a few elements of your life right now that are working for you. This exercise isn’t about forecasting into the future. Stay with your present circumstance and see what you find.

Here’s to discovering goodness within and around our everyday lives.