Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Here is a strange question that helps me feel grateful: “What would this exact moment look like if I had no arms?”
I know. Strange.
Ask it while you are holding a cup of coffee. Suddenly you notice that you are holding it. You feel the warmth, the weight, and your fingers around the cup.
Ask it while your child hugs you. For a moment, you become aware of the hug in a different way.
The question briefly imagines the absence of something so I can recognize its presence. Some Stoic writers used a similar practice called negative visualization. They imagined losing something they valued so familiarity would not erase their appreciation of it.
You do not have to use my question. You do need a question specific enough to interrupt autopilot.
What question would make you look at this moment again? #GratitudePractice #GoodQuestions #NegativeVisualization #Mindfulness #ChristianLiving #Wonder #OverlapLife
Here is a strange question that helps me feel grateful: “What would this exact moment look like if I had no arms?”
I know. Strange.
Ask it while you are holding a cup of coffee. Suddenly you notice that you are holding it. You feel the warmth, the weight, and your fingers around the cup.
Ask it while your child hugs you. For a moment, you become aware of the hug in a different way.
The question briefly imagines the absence of something so I can recognize its presence. Some Stoic writers used a similar practice called negative visualization. They imagined losing something they valued so familiarity would not erase their appreciation of it.
You do not have to use my question. You do need a question specific enough to interrupt autopilot.
What question would make you look at this moment again? #GratitudePractice #GoodQuestions #NegativeVisualization #Mindfulness #ChristianLiving #Wonder #OverlapLife
