Thoughtful Questions for Artful Living: Inspiration from John O’Donohue & Rick Rubin
Last week, I re-listened to my favorite episode of one of my favorite podcasts (On Being). It’s a powerful conversation between the host, Krista Tippett, and the legendary, genre-defining music producer, Rick Rubin. You can listen to the episode here.
Rubin, who in 2023 released his first book, The Creative Act: A Way of Being, speaks simply yet eloquently about creativity as a way of being rather than doing. After all, we are all artists in the way that we shape our individual lives - our choices and relationships, our actions and reactions. The amount of attention and intention we bring to our lives is directly correlated with the quality of our living.
Excerpt from interview with Rick Rubin on “Magic, Everyday Mystery, and Getting Creative” episode of On Being podcast, originally released March 16, 2023.
Legacy-shaping questions
In the same way that we can choose to live artfully, we are also shaping our life legacies every day (whether we’re conscious of it or not). As we navigate our journeys, it's essential to remember that shaping our legacy is not just about monumental achievements but also about the small, everyday moments that define who we are.
In recent weeks, I’ve led several legacy workshops for audiences of healthcare personnel, death doulas, and caregivers. The discussions have been nothing short of transformative. These dedicated individuals not only care for others but also seek ways to enrich their own lives and legacies.
An enlightening moment during one of them — a webinar for National End-of-Life Doula Alliance members — was when a participant shared their personal gratitude ritual. Each night before sleep, they reflect on that day’s episodes of gratitude, alongside moments where they missed opportunities to acknowledge or express it. This powerful ritual not only fosters awareness but also deepens their appreciation for the experiences of the day.
This ritual reminded me of the profound wisdom in reflective practice offered up by one of my favorite authors, the late John O’Donohue. Nestled among his beautiful collection of blessings in To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings (Doubleday, 2008), he suggested a number of reflective questions that encourage us to consider our lives more thoughtfully.
Taking time for thoughtful reflection can be transformative, especially when paired with good questions.
Here are a few key questions from O’Donohue’s At the End of the Day: A Mirror of Questions that can serve as a guiding light in your daily reflections (note that I’ve included the entire list toward the bottom of this page):
What did I experience today that brought me joy?
How did I connect with others in a meaningful way?
What moments of beauty did I notice in my surroundings?
Where did I find peace, and where did I feel challenged?
How can I express gratitude for the people and experiences that touched my life today?
In his On Being interview, Rick Rubin shared his own practice of bringing intentional awareness to his moment-to-moment living by asking himself questions such as:
What are the things that make me lean forward?
What are the things that make me laugh?
What are the things that make me excited?
What do I find beautiful today that I didn’t notice yesterday?
A simple, personal ritual to clarify and connect
Incorporating some or all of these questions into your own daily routine can provide clarity and connection to your legacy. They invite you to pause, reflect, and acknowledge the richness of your life while encouraging you to consider how each moment contributes to the larger tapestry of your legacy.
As you make this practice a habit, its benefits will begin to trickle throughout your days. You’ll start to notice the little things more. You’ll develop an attunement (or as Rubin calls it, an “emotional musculature”) that will nurture your own artful living and, ultimately, your legacy.
Here’s to asking ourselves questions that matter!
(Full text of O’Donohue’s At the End of the Day: A Mirror of Questions below.)
Consider which of O’Donohue's or Rubin’s questions most resonate with you.
How can you incorporate them into your daily life?
What other questions might you ask yourself?
Photo credit: Emma Love Photography
Author: Karla Combres
As a Legacy Guide & Celebrant, I help individuals, couples, families and organizations make the big and small moments in life count, and shape their legacy along the way. I offer:
Drawing on my vast experience as a Life-Cycle Celebrant and in working with people at the end of life, I am uniquely qualified to help people move through transitions meaningfully and to think about how they want to leave this world so they can live better now.
I’m based in Saskatchewan, Canada and serve clients worldwide. Read more about me here.