4 questions that can change your life

In Byron Katie's book, Loving What Is, she presents a simple exercise that can help free you from thoughts that cause suffering and paralysis and create possibility for positive change.

If you are suffering from low self-esteem, sadness, loneliness, anxiety, irritability or any sort of discomfort, I invite you to take a moment to identify the thought that lies at the heart of this feeling.  Ask that feeling, "What are you trying to say?"  If you are feeling lonely, the thought could be, "I'm unworthy of others."  If you are feeling are anxious, the thought might be, "I don't have what it takes and I'm going to fail."
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Once you've identified the thought.  Ask yourself these questions:
1) Is it true? Can you absolutely know it is true with 100% certainty?
2) How do you feel when you have this thought?
3) Who would you be without this thought?
4) Turn the thought around (i.e. "I'm worthy of others," I'm not going to fail."). Is the turnaround thought true, or truer, than the original thought?

I encourage you to take your time with each of these questions and answer them as completely as possible. 

This exercise does not promise to immediately take all your suffering away but it does offer a perspective on how to view your pain.  This shift in understanding creates empowerment and the possibility for profound change.

For more about Byron Katie, click here.