Importance of Taking the Time for Reflection
How often do you just pause and take some time to reflect? When I was younger I spent very little time pausing and reflecting. I could not sit still and when I did sit still my anxious mind would kick into high gear and I would busy myself to avoid the anxiety that would arise when I had time to sit with my own thoughts.
I literally filled my entire schedule all of the time just so I would not have to sit with myself and feel the uncomfortableness of being with my own thoughts. Too much time in my head was not a good thing at all. I would get so uncomfortable with not having anything to do that I would either over book myself working 2-3 jobs while going to university. Or I would make jobs for myself like obsessively clean my car or take everything out of my closet and color coding it. While it is nice to do this every once and awhile, I did it almost compulsively so that I would not have to sit with my own thoughts. Now however, I see huge value in taking time to sit with myself and really allow time for self-reflection and taking time to pause and reflect. Even though my daughter would say that I am still always busy and on the go, I have actually gotten a lot better at taking time to rest and reflect and even in the busiest of days we have time for reflection.
Reflection is the act of intentionally looking inward, and becoming aware our thoughts and emotions. It is more than just pausing; it’s a deliberate process to gain insight into our own self-awareness. This can be done through journaling, meditation, or even just taking a few moments of pause to breathe and really become aware of our current state of being.
Reflection allows us to learn from our experiences. When you take some time to pause at the end of the day and journal you may find it valuable to record a lesson you learned from the day. I truly believe if you take a few moments to reflect you can find something new that you learned each and every day.
Reflection time can also be a great time to journal what you are grateful for each and every day. I have created a “Goals and Gratitude Habit” journal for myself that I published on Amazon basically to help myself structure time to reflect each morning and evening. It really starts my day off right to journal three things I am grateful for first thing in the morning even before I get out of bed. I have a morning journaling page and an evening journaling page, it makes it so easy to seamlessly build in time for reflection each and every day.
By examining what went well and what could have been improved, we gain valuable insights that help us grow. Without reflection, we risk repeating the same mistakes over and over again. Or we miss opportunities to build on our successes. When we reflect, we’re better equipped to make thoughtful decisions. By considering past outcomes and aligning choices with our values, we can approach the future with greater confidence and purpose.
Reflection is not just an inward journey; it also improves how we relate to others. By understanding our own behaviors and motivations, we can empathize more deeply and communicate more effectively. This week take some time to just pause and reflect. What have you learned today? What are you grateful for? Do you start your day off with a tiny bit of gratitude? Simple moments of pause and reflection can go a long way.
