Planting Empowering Questions

Right now, I’m working on a demo for a song I wrote during my cancer curriculum called Garden of Forking Paths. When I was sick, writing that song helped me process the overwhelming sense of uncertainty — all the twists and turns that life throws our way. Now, with a clearer perspective, working on the demo feels fun and liberating. It’s a reminder that while we can’t always control the paths we face, we can choose how we navigate them.

“Step by step, I’m turning ‘round, lost but something’s calling out…Can you tell that my mind is a garden of forking paths?”

And that choice often starts with the questions we ask ourselves. The questions we ask are powerful signposts for where our focus is going. And what we focus on grows. So, it’s worth asking: Are you nurturing hope, joy, and possibility? Or are you inadvertently feeding fear and lack?

During one of the most challenging periods of my life — my cancer curriculum — I learned this firsthand. When I was diagnosed with leukemia, I could’ve easily spiraled into questions like, “Why me?” or “How bad will I suffer?” But those questions would’ve kept me locked in helplessness and despair. Instead, I chose to ask different questions. Questions that empowered me.

✨ “What’s within my control?”

✨ “How can I feel even 1% better today?”

✨ “What’s one thing I can do to strengthen my body and mind?”

Those questions led me to a decision: I wanted to feel stronger. I couldn’t control the disease, but I could control how I showed up each day. I started working out — even in small ways — and over time, those tiny actions snowballed into a powerful tool for healing.

This mindset shift doesn’t just apply to health. It works for finances, dreams, relationships — anything you want to grow in your life. But we need to be mindful of the questions we’re asking.

If you’re asking yourself things like:

💭 “Why is it so hard to make money?”

💭 “What if my dreams never come true?”

💭 “How can things be so messed up?”

Those questions subtly affirm struggle and scarcity. They keep you stuck in a cycle of lack.

Instead, ask yourself:

💡 “What small step can I take today toward abundance?”

💡 “How can I make the process joyful?”

💡 “What do I already have that I can leverage in this moment?”

When we ask empowering questions, we’re nurturing possibility and inviting solutions to reveal themselves. It’s like planting seeds. You don’t want to plant seeds of fear and doubt — you want to plant seeds of growth and opportunity.

The lyrics of Garden of Forking Paths remind me of this:

“Self-made prisoner, so many thoughts tangled it hurts… Breathe and step forward, or live a life that feels tortured.”

So today, check in with yourself.

What questions are you asking?

If they’re feeding worry or scarcity, rewrite them mindfully. Make space for questions that open doors, spark curiosity, and shift your focus toward what’s possible.

Because what we focus on grows. Let’s make sure it’s a garden of something beautiful.

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Below are the full lyrics to “Garden of Forking Paths,” for those who feel the resonance of these questions and want to walk a little further with me.

🎶 Garden of Forking Paths

Lyrics by Allison2020

Thoughts clouding my mind

Blowing through the wind and rain

Wrapping up my head

Twistin’ like a hurricane

Laughter and wonder

Belong to my pain

Alternately givingNew gains

Step by step

I’m turning ‘round

Lost but something’s calling out

Can you see, can you hear me

Am I on blast

Can you tell that

My mind is a garden of forking paths

Can you care, can you hold me

Despite my past

Let loose inside my mind

A garden of forking paths

Selfmade prisoner

So many doubts linger it hurts

Breathe and step forward

Or live a life that feels tortured

Fear and excitement are one in the same

Don’t go a lifetime

Not daring to stake your claim

Step by step

I’m turning ‘round

Lost but something’s calling out

Can you see, can you hear me

Am I on blast

Can you tell that

My mind is a garden of forking paths

Can you care, can you hold me

Despite my past

Let loose inside my mind

A garden of forking paths

Forks in the road, twist and spin

Round and round, where to begin

Left or right, or straight ahead

Questions running through my head

Can you hear, can you see me

Am I on blast

Can you tell that

My mind is a garden of forking paths

Can you care, can you hold me

Despite my past

Let loose inside my mind

A garden of forking paths

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Thank you for walking through this wild garden. Here's to hoping you find strength not in the map, but in the way you move through the journey.