Finding the right questions can be instrumental in finding out how we tick. Answering unexpected questions can often unlock doors of thought. In counselling, questions can help people to open up, to give a foundation for expressing their thoughts and feelings and help clarify and expand a thought.
Using questions as prompts in writing for wellbeing can be fantastic in helping explore that inner world that is sometimes hard to fathom. In our writing workshops we often use curious question prompts – some feel rather weird and abstract and some seem to be going nowhere, but each question will prompt something, even if it’s a refusal to answer!
Questions can kick start the pen – why am I stuck? what does stuck mean today? Why don’t I want to write anything? Where else would I rather be? Is this my favourite pen? Do I have a favourite pen? Do I feel differently writing with pen or paper or on a laptop?
I often feel stuck when it comes to writing about feelings. I find some feelings easier to write about than others. For example, anger seems to flow, and yet deeper feelings often struggle to even make a trickle. For me this is where having some core questions can help the trickle to become a gentle flow.
Here are 5 simple question types to help prompt your writing.
The way you ask a question can make a huge difference to the way it’s thought about and answered. Asking the same question in different ways can bring about a different perspective.
For example: Why am I anxious today? Could be reframed to How did my anxiety impact my day today?
Q1: Why am I anxious today? I don’t know! Maybe I’m worried about work?
Q2: How did my anxiety impact my day today? I found myself worry on the way to work. I was worried at my desk when X came to talk to me. I felt a bit anxious immediately after dinner and struggled to get to sleep.
This is a rather simplified example, but it shows that by asking a more focused question starts to give a broader answer with specific areas to look at in more detail.
I like ratings, it’s such a simple tool that can help to put things in perspective or give a starting point (or end point) to track how you feel about something.
For example: On a scale of 1 – 10 how was my day? What would have given it a higher or lower score?
Limiting the number of words you use can be helpful to focus the mind on what it is that you really want to write about or explore.
For example: What are the key words that describe my day? What 3 words? Is there one word that would accurately sum up how I feel?
Using prioritising questions can also help to provide clarity and focus.
For example: If I could only focus on one thing to write about my day what would it be? What is most important to me and what is least important?
Using your senses to help you delve more deeply into different sensations. If you are a rational thinker, then shifting the focus to your body and senses can help to explore the body and mind connection.
For example: What smells do I remember about today? What sounds? What images?
This is of course just touching the surface of questioning and it’s use to help promote and explore ourselves. Using one of the above question prompts might just help that pen start to flow.
