Questioning Metaphors
Metaphor: My life is like a continuously flowing river, sometimes calm, sometimes turbulent, passing
through different landscapes
1. Evidence: I have experienced both calm moments and challenging times in my life, and each
change has helped me grow.
2. Development over Time: The different life stages reflect a river's various speeds and states.
From childhood to adulthood, I have gone through many changes and growth.
3. Perspective of Others: Because I like a river just following the track, friends, and family might
think that my life is fulfilling and meaningful, but they might also feel that I sometimes lack
clear goals and plans.
4. Impact: This metaphor makes me aware of the diversity and unpredictability of life, while also
showing me my own resilience and adaptability.
5. Satisfaction: Because I understand the principle of going with the flow, my overall satisfaction
with life is higher, especially when I can accept and enjoy the changes in life.
6. Desire for Change: I hope to better plan the direction and goals of my life, reducing the sense
of confusion during changes. This may require more self-reflection and goal-setting. Through
this process, we can gain a deeper understanding of our life state and identify potential problems
and areas for improvement.
Shifting Metaphors
Metaphor：
1. Life is like a stage play, where everyone is an actor with different roles and scenes.
2. Life is like a garden that needs careful caring, with each part having its own unique beauty.
3. Life is like a building that requires careful design and construction, with every step needing
planning and execution.
4. Life is like a piece of music, with different rhythms and melodies.
5. Life is like a voyage, with every decision being a choice of direction.
What is your Alternate Metaphoric Perspective?
Life is like a voyage, with every decision being a choice of direction.
What are your New Insights?
1. Managing direction: The sailing metaphor makes me realize that every choice is like setting a
course, and I can adjust the direction to avoid storms and find a smoother route.
2. Adapting to change: During sailing, different weather and sea conditions make me more aware
that changes in life are inevitable and need to be handled flexibly.
3. Clear goals: Through the sailing metaphor, I see the ultimate goals of life more clearly, just like
the destination port of a voyage.
4. Resource management: The sailing metaphor also makes me realize the need to better manage
and utilize the resources in life, just like the supplies on a ship, which need to be allocated and
used wisely.
What is the Action Plan?
1. Set goals: Clearly define short-term and long-term goals in life. Set specific goals each month
and adjust them based on actual circumstances.
2. Plan time and resources: Manage time and resources effectively to avoid waste and redundant
work. Use time management tools (like calendars and to-do lists) to plan daily tasks and time
allocation.
3. Reflect and adjust regularly: I assess my progress and direction every week, and make
adjustments as needed. I am reflecting on myself weekly, summarizing the week's gains and
shortcomings, and adjusting plans for the next week.
Hopes
My today’s Hopes:
1. I hope today's weather is mild, not too hot, preferably cloudy.
2. I hope to complete all the tasks planned for today.
3. I hope to have a pleasant conversation with a colleague or friend.
4. I hope to spend some time reading a good book today.
5. I hope to have time for a workout or a walk.
6. I hope to enjoy a delicious and healthy dinner.
7. I hope to learn something new today.
8. I hope to help others and make them happy.
9. I hope to have a quiet and relaxing evening.
10. I hope to spend time today reflecting and planning future goals.
What are the hopes over which you have some control? What ones appear to be beyond your power
to control?
The hope beyond my control is the weather, the other hopes are in my control
Of those that are within your grasp, what actions can you take today to give substance to what you
have hoped for?
1. I hope to complete all the tasks planned for today: I makd a clear task list and allocated specific
time slots to complete each task, ensuring focused attention.
2. I hope to have a pleasant conversation with a colleague or friend: I had a 1:1 meeting with my
colleague and talked about the weekend plan.
3. I hope to spend some time reading a good book today: I read a book before going to sleep.
4. I hope to have time for a workout or a walk: I plan to ride a mountain bike in Burnaby mountain.
5. I hope to enjoy a delicious and healthy dinner: I prepared lunch in advance, chose healthy
ingredients (chicken breast).
6. I hope to learn something new today: I used my free time to practice on guitar.
7. I hope to help others and make them happy: I cared about my roommate today, and talked about
his concern about finding a job.
8. I hope to have a quiet and relaxing evening: I listened to soft music before go to bed.
9. I hope to spend time today reflecting and planning future goals: I use the evening or free time
for self-reflection
What are behind the hopes that seem to be out of your control.
I hope today's weather is mild, not too hot, preferably cloudy. Because I want to engage in outdoor
activities without feeling uncomfortable due to the heat.
Alternative methods: If the weather is not good, the following alternatives can achieve the same goal:
1. Indoor exercise: Exercise indoors at home or gym
2. Breathing fresh air: Even if the weather is bad, I can still breathe fresh air on the balcony or near
a window.
List of Hopes I carry from day to day
1. I hope to achieve career dreams: I hope to reach new heights in my career.
2. I hope for family happiness: I hope for my family to be healthy, happy, and have harmonious
relationships.
3. I hope for personal growth: I hope to continually improve myself in all aspects, not just
professional skills, but also personal qualities, emotional intelligence, and spiritual growth.
4. I hope for financial freedom: I hope to achieve financial freedom through hard work and
investments.
5. I hope to contribute to society: I hope to make a positive impact on society and help others
through my actions and efforts.
Do any of these hopes relate to the first list of hopes for your day?
1. Career Dreams: I put as much effort as possible into my work and actively learn new knowledge,
which brings me one step closer to my career dreams.
2. Personal Growth: I read for thirty minutes every day and summarize what I did throughout the
day.
How do the hopes you have expressed add balance to your life?
Financial Freedom: Alongside working, I actively invest in financial products to grow my wealth.
Contribution to Society: In my spare time, I volunteer for animal rescue to contribute to society.
Are any of your hopes tied to the past?
Family Happiness: In the past, due to some misunderstandings, there have been regrets between me and
my family members. This is one of the reasons I focus on family happiness. I need to learn to forgive
and let go, creating space for future family happiness.
