In this post I’m going to talk about Questions about the past and the future. This is part of the 365 Provoking questions I’m doing this year. I’ve started in February with 28 Provoking Questions and I might finish it by the end of the year. I looked through the remaining questions and I picked 30 about the past and 20 about the future. As they are so many in total, I’m going to keep the answers short.
30 Questions about the past
1. When you look back over the past month, what single moment stands out?
I’ve started volunteering at a local stately home, so that is pretty special.
2. What is your happiest memory?
There are so many that it’s hard to pick the one that is the happiest. When I’ve entered high school (I had to take a difficult exam to get in), when I was admitted to University (again, difficult exam-interview), when I’ve got married, when we got Festus, when we bought our home.
3. What is your saddest memory?
When someone close to me died.
4. What’s the best decision you’ve ever made?
I think moving to UK was the best decision.
5. What’s your favorite true story that you enjoy sharing with others?
I hope I don’t keep repeating the same story.
6. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned in the last year?
Even in business people can take illogical emotional decisions, but I knew that from before.
7. What was your last major accomplishment?
Buying the house must be the last one.
8. Through all of life’s twists and turns who has been there for you?
My husband.
9. If you could relive yesterday what would you do differently?
I wouldn’t bang my knee as it still hurts.
10. What do you do over and over again that you hate doing?
House chores. I would rather bake and cook.
11. What is the biggest change you have made in your life in the last year?
I changed the way I decide if I want to eat something or not. I lost 5 pounds from January, not a lot, but I didn’t diet.
12. What do you understand today about your life that you did not understand a year ago?
I made some big plans, still a long way to go.
13. What did life teach you yesterday?
How church bells are rang, not exactly “life”, but more a tour part of Heritage Open Days. (on Saturday)
14. Who makes you feel good about yourself?
A lot of things, I think I’m great and that is fab because I have to spend all the time with myself.
15. What is your biggest regret?
I don’t regret anything. The bad decisions made me learn and, obviously, made me better.
16. If you could go back in time and change things, what would you change about the week that just passed?
Nothing, see Q15.
17. At what point during the last five years have you felt lost and alone?
I’m lucky I’m never 100% alone.
18. What is one opportunity you believe you missed out on when you were younger?
I did a lot of things I wanted to as a teenager and early 20s.
19. How have you sabotaged yourself in the past five years?
Obviously, I think everybody does that even without realizing.
20. What experience from this past year do you appreciate the most?
The Ceremony of Keys at The Tower of London for my birthday last year.
21. What is the most enjoyable thing your family has done together in the last three years?
Caravaning, lots of time.
22. What was the most defining moment in your life during this past year?
Taking a decision that will change our lives in short to medium term.
23. What’s the number one change you need to make in your life in the next twelve months?
I don’t want to talk about it, but it’s the same as Q22.
24. What’s something you wish you had done earlier in life?
If I did, then this means I would have missed the things that made me realize why is a better option.
25. Now that it’s behind you, what did you do last week that was memorable?
Going out for Heritage Open Days.
26. What have you done that you are not proud of?
I don’t know, but even if I did, would I want to write about it online (no, definitely not).
27. What is the best advice you have ever received?
I have no idea.
28. When should you reveal a secret that you promised you wouldn’t reveal?
This question sounds like something a 14 year old would ask her friend. Being discreet should be natural for adults.
29. Who has had the greatest impact on your life?
As I’ve been married for 10 years I would say my husband.
30. What recent memory makes you smile the most?
Seeing the dog eating and barking in his sleep earlier. He is so funny.
20 Questions about the future
31. What would you like to change?
I would like to change a few things, I’m still deciding which ones.
32. Right now, at this moment, what do you want most?
I want something very much, but I’m not yet ready to share it on my blog.
33. What are you waiting for? How are you writing your life’s story?
I’m not waiting for things, if I decide on something, I will try to make it as soon as possible. I’ve not started writing my life story.
34. What makes love last?
Respect.
35. Based on you current daily actions and routines, where would you expect to be in five years?
I do everything I can to make sure my life in 5 years is how I hope it will be. As I said in Q33, I don’t like to wait.
36. What do you think about when you lie awake in bed?
The latest book I’m reading, a recipe I’m trying to create, this sort of things.
37. If you could live forever, would you want to? Why?
No, why should I?
38. What is missing in your life?
A few things. If I can’t do anything about them, I try to deal with it (easier said than done). If I can do something, then I try to do it.
39. What do you want more of in your life?
More time would be great.
40. What do you want less of in your life?
Less house chores, I really don’t like them.
41. In one year from today, how do you think your life will be different?
If everything goes as I hope, it will be quite different, but let’s see.
42. In twenty years, what do you want to remember?
Many things, this is one of the reasons I have this blog.
43. What are you most excited about in your life right now – today?
A new course I’m starting and a new project involving recipes on CookStyle.
44. What is the biggest obstacle that stands in your way right now?
Time.
45. What is the number one motivator in your life right now?
Me.
46. How would you describe your future in three words?
Exciting, different, fun.
47. What are you looking forward to in the upcoming week?
A blogging event and a trip I’m taking at the end of the week.
48. What positive changes have you made in your life recently?
Better food choices even if I already eat healthy, everything can be improved.
49. Which one of your responsibilities do you wish you could get rid of?
Chores! It’s the third time I mention them in this post, it must be obvious I don’t like cleaning at all.
50. What or who has been distracting you?
Me, who else can do that?
This is great! We went to the Ceremony of Keys in January this year! It was great!! x
Really enjoyed reading this post and answering them myself as I went along 🙂 x
I absolutly love your answer to Q24! That is so true and I’ve never thought about it like that before! People are always to quick to pick out all the what if’s and wish they hads, when really, they wouldnt be who they are or have what they have right now if they had made a different decision!
I love this idea, I did a similar series ages ago but never finished! I might have to take it up again!
Sarah 🙂
This is such a nice post – your answers were great. I loved your answer to number 15, it was very profound!
Love your answer to 28! I agree 100%.
Corinne x
Wow I absolutely love this idea and want to do something similar with my daughter to encourage mindfullness. Great post
I’m glad moving to the UK was a good decision for you. I would be sad if that was not the case.
Working in a stately home must be wonderful, I’ve often thought about it myself but there are none close enough to walk to and no buses from here that go anywhere near a stately home.
I admire you answering all these questions, I’m not sure I would have been able to do that.
Have a lovely week.