Inquire Within, Imagine Anew
We cannot solve our problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.
— Albert Einstein
Have you ever had a close friend ask you a question that suddenly changes your perspective? The blinders you thought were the edge of your world fall away. You realize how much you’ve been limiting the brushstrokes of your own imagination.
I had that happen recently. I was telling a good friend about wanting my teenage son to do something I thought would be wonderfully enriching for him. I was certain it would bolster his future opportunities. The problem (to me) was he didn’t want to do it.
My friend asked with a twinkle in her eye, “What makes you sure it’s what he needs?” In that moment, I realized I had been focusing only on the brushstrokes I could imagine for him — the ones I already knew how to do. But in truth I didn’t know whether this was right for him or whether some other opportunity would better serve and inspire who he wants to become. My friend’s question allowed me to open my eyes to a much wider field of possibilities than the one I was narrowly prescribing.
Similarly, coaching is all about asking powerful questions so clients can reimagine what’s possible in their lives. Curiosity on the part of both the coach and the client is critical during this process of inquiry. We all hold beliefs about ourselves and others that limit how we respond to whatever we’re facing. We get caught in old patterns of thinking and wonder why the same problems keep turning up. Sometimes it’s uncomfortable, but only by pausing and questioning these — in a space where we feel safe and supported — can we imagine vibrant new possibilities.
So be curious. What delights you? What stresses you? What feels life-affirming and what depletes you? What beliefs keep you stuck? What helps open your mind and heart to fresh ways of seeing?
Asking those kinds of questions fuels the “Inquire” part of Cedar Wise Coaching’s RISE process — Root, Inquire, Shift, Embody — and can support you in unleashing your most creative self.
Let’s work together to do just that. Contact me today to set up a free discovery session today!
Yours with curiosity, Elise
P.S. In case you missed it, see my last blog exploring what “Root” means in RISE and look for my next one which will focus on “Shift”….
— written and published by Elise Miller, Cedar Wise Coaching, January 11, 2022