Hi y’all,
For most of my adult life, I have been practicing spiritual direction.
It’s a bit like spiritual companionship or soulful coaching and mentoring. A space where you meet with someone who helps you listen, really listen, to your own spiritual or soulful life. You talk about your relationship with your higher power, with your inner self, and with whatever you consider sacred in your life. And the spiritual director doesn’t give you answers. They hold space, reflect back what they hear, and gently nudge you toward your own inner wisdom.
When I was a nun, spiritual direction was an essential tool for contemplation or mindfulness. It was one of the anchors of our inner life.
I also saw it as part of a holistic support system for my well-being: if I were physically unwell, I’d see a doctor. If I were emotionally off, I’d turn to a therapist. And when my soul felt parched or needed tending, I’d meet with a spiritual director.
What struck me then, and still moves me now, are the questions we’d begin with each session. Simple, but powerful questions:
What are you reading and how is it feeding your spirit?
How is God moving in your life?
What are you seeking right now?
That last one always gets me: What are you seeking?
I am rooted in the Christian tradition, and it is the same question Jesus asked others: What are you seeking? Or, what do you want? (John 1:35-38).
It’s one question I still reflect on today.
Asking the right questions is a spiritual and mindful process.
You don’t have to be a nun or a monk to engage with that kind of depth. You need to pause long enough to ask something genuine in the soul of your being.
This brings me to today’s topic: how asking the right questions can guide your mindfulness practice and help you live in the moment by being present, grounded, and soulfully awake.
Mindfulness can start with three simple questions.
Remember, mindfulness doesn’t have to be complicated; you don’t have to chase after presence. It’s right here, waiting for you to notice.
Along with asking questions, mindful journaling can be a way of seeing and helping you be present in the world around you and in your inner wisdom.
This combination of thought questions and mindful journaling is one of the best ways to practice mindfulness. Remember that mindful journaling can be writing pages or a single sentence. It can also be a drawing, doodle, sketch, or photograph.
Like all mindfulness practices, find what works best for you.
Here are three mindful questions and journal prompts to help you see with soulful eyes and to anchor your mindfulness in the present moment.
Journal Prompt #1. What beauty brushed past me today?
Life is constantly offering little gifts: a sunrise, a stranger's kindness, or the warmth of clean sheets.
Most days, we rush by without seeing them. This question pulls you back to the quiet miracles stitched into your ordinary hours.
Journal Prompt #2. When did I genuinely feel at home in my life today?
You won't be present every moment, and that's okay.
This prompt is a reminder to gather the small moments that stirred something real in you: laughter that lingers, a moment of peace, or a glance at the sky that made you take a deep breath. Presence happens through one intentional noticing at a time.
Journal Prompt #3. What ordinary thing is quietly holding me right now?
We overlook the anchors that steady us.
Maybe it’s the rhythm of your morning coffee or tea, the comfort of your favorite sweater, or the way your dog or cat leans into you like you’re home. Noticing them is not just mindfulness. It’s a way of loving your life back to center.
That's it.
Here’s what we covered today:
Why spiritual direction is like soulful coaching for your inner life.
Asking, “What are you seeking?” and how can that guide your mindfulness.
How mindful journaling doesn’t need to be long or complicated to be impactful.
Three soulful journal prompts to help you see with presence and gratitude.
Mindfulness doesn’t require perfection. It requires presence, and that begins with one honest question at a time.
Remember, take what you like and leave the rest.
Thanks for listening. I appreciate you being part of the journey.
Have a mindful week, and we’ll see you next time. Thanks.
Denise
I'm a former nun who, at midlife, pivoted to corporate life with zero business experience and became an award-winning program manager. I want to help you find stillness in the ball pit bouncy house of life.
Mindfulness begins with tiny steps toward being present. You can start micro-mindfulness right now without adding one more thing to your calendar. Join my newsletter, and I'll share simple micro-mindfulness tips every week that you can start using today.
In my book Burn Without Burning Out: 7 Micro-Mindfulness Habits for Clear Thinking, Decisive Action, and Recovery from Burnout, I share other skills I learned as a nun. Grab your copy today.
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