Self-Reflection is an important skill that I believe all people need in order to become emotionally healthy and for personal growth. Self-Reflection is the process of becoming more aware of our own thoughts and feelings and how they inadvertently shape our behavior. Without it, we may find ourselves wandering throughout life feeling uncertain, lost and troubled by the things that life presents for us.
I am sure that most of you out there have at one point found yourself having a deep conversation within your own mind about a problem you are facing. You notice the back and forth, the way it makes you feel, maybe at times feeling like you are losing your mind. But what’s really important to understand about this process, is that you are processing your own internal turmoil. Self-Reflection can give a person the ability to look at themselves and understand how thinking habits can keep a person stuck in a cycle of unhealthy words, ideas or be your salvation to self-discovery.
Try to find yourself in a calm and quiet state. What do you notice about the thoughts that you are having? Are they positive, frustrating, scary? What do these thoughts say about the current state you are in? How do they make you feel? And even further, how might they change your behavior? Keep in mind that self-reflection isn’t always about noticing the potential problems in our lives, but also the healthy and constructive ways in which we face our inner selves. It can provide guidance, reminders of how we became successful, cared for ourselves and most importantly, makes us aware of things we might not have known before.
It is important to remember that as you use self-reflection, be kind to yourself. Refrain from being overly critical or passing judgements for acknowledging thoughts and feelings that are sometimes very difficult to face. The goal is to achieve personal growth, not to condemn yourself for having these thoughts in the first place. We truly don’t have any control over the things that enter our thoughts, but we have some sense of control over how big they get, how powerful they become and what direction they lead us. Next time you have a moment, sit down, close your eyes and just listen to what your thoughts are telling you.