I think with these opinion pieces, I can get lost in all the stuff I want to say and forget that others generally aren’t as interested in what I want to say as what’s on their mind. What’s most effective in really making people think sometimes, I’ve come to realize, is just asking questions.So the rest of the column I’ve written in question form. These are some of the questions that keep many of us awake at night and occupy all our silent, reflective moments when we’re not busy scuttling about, begging, borrowing and robbing Peter to pay Paul. Be honest with yourself and it might be an exhilarating and revealing ride.

Who are you? What defines you? What would others say defines you behind your back? Would it match up with what you said?

Are you living up to the person you present in your facebook profile? Are you as good as the person you pretend to be to your family? Are you hiding anything?

Do you work hard? Are you good at what you do? Do you wish you were doing something different? If so, why are you doing something you don’t want to? What would it take for you to take the plunge to follow your dreams?

How are your relationships with friends? With your parents? Your siblings? Your grandparents? Do you spend enough time cultivating the relationships with the people you claim to hold dearest? If some of the people in your life could see you when you’re alone or when you’re talking about them to other friends, would they still claim you?

When you’re in a room with friends, do you have real connections, real conversations about important things? Or do you occupy yourselves with music or something on TV, or idle gossip?

How is your relationship with yourself? Are you generally happy with your looks? Your personality? Your character? What about your past? Did you have a good childhood?

Have you progressed or regressed as you’ve gotten older? If not, what’s stopping you from realizing your potential? When are you going to get rid of that obstacle?

What are you avoiding? What are you ashamed of? What are you scared of? Why? What would it take for you to finally conquer that fear? Why aren’t you?

Do you do anything to give back to others? What’s the last unselfish thing you did?

Do you show gratitude to those who have gotten you where you are today?

Are you OK with your mortality? What do you think happens when you die? Do you think you’ve earned it? If heaven existed, would you be there? If hell existed, would you be there instead? Are you OK with the possibility that you might even just cease to exist altogether?

What would you leave behind? Who would remember you? Are you happy with your legacy? Are you living life to its fullest?

Do you like the answers that are coming to mind?

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