Should You Only Do Worksheets?

This Question Comes Right on Time

In response to last week’s newsletter a reader emailed me to ask, “Did the concept [“I don’t want to disappoint anybody”]come from a Worksheet?” My answer is no.

And she continued, “Now that I am learning how to fill them up better, and see the power in that, I am wondering if I should do only Worksheets. Or if I can continue to deal with concepts just when they pop up into my mind?”

This question made me realize how much I’ve been emphasizing the Judge-Your-Neighbor Worksheet. As if it were the only way to do The Work.

But I’ll Tell You a Secret

I did The Work every day for three years without filling in even one Judge-Your-Neighbor Worksheet.

I would simply ask myself what was bothering me, isolate a stressful thought, and apply the four questions and turnarounds. It was as simple as that. And I still love the elegance of this approach.

So the answer for me is, “No, you don’t have to do just worksheets.” But I encourage you to experiment and find what works for you.

Formal Worksheets Are Wonderful

They flush out all kinds of thoughts worth working. They allow you to look at a stressful situation from many angles. And they lead to many practical instructions (living turnarounds) for how to maintain your peace in similar situations in the future. One-liners don’t always offer this.

That’s why I’m big on Judge-Your-Neighbor Worksheets. They have really supported me to go deeper in my work.

But Sometimes You Just Want To Do A “One-Liner”

It’s easier. It takes less time. And it can be a great way to go.

But it’s more free form. Sometimes there won’t be three turnarounds. Sometimes your one-liners will be so general that they don’t go very far. But sometimes you’ll turn your world upside down by questioning a one-liner.

This is a good reminder for me to do more one-liners as regular part of my practice. They’ve always worked for me.

To try out a one-liner on your own I suggest using the One-Belief-At-A-Time Worksheet.

Have a great week,
Todd

“A thought is harmless unless we believe it. It’s not our thoughts, but the attachment to our thoughts, that causes suffering.” — Byron Katie, Loving What Is

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