Self-Reflection: A Tool For Change
When you look in the mirror what do you see? Your reflection of course. Normally you don’t notice any changes externally unless someone tells you or you take a look in that mirror. Self-reflection is the process of taking a look at what’s going on on the inside. Beauty comes from within and so does change. Self-reflection is essential to the growth and change we are all striving for.
As we head into the second month of this year, I can’t help but think how fast time has flown. It feels like it was only yesterday when we were receiving news of the virus…We’ve definitely come far, but still have some work to do.
On a more positive note, you made it! If you’re reading this, you’ve made it this far, regardless of life’s curveballs. You should be so proud to have survived and to have endured almost a full year of quarantine, in addition, to all of the hardships resulting from the pandemic. Give yourself a great big hug. (I’m not kidding! I just gave myself a hug LOL) There are many that are not here today who can do the same thing, so please be grateful and do not take anything for granted.
One of the ways I express my gratitude to God and the universe is by planning ahead and making the best use of my time. At the end of every month, I sit down and review the past month and self-reflect. I ask myself a set of questions to get a better understanding of what areas need improvement and how I can manage my time more efficiently.
These are some of the questions I ask myself at the end of each month:
What was your favorite moment?
What was the main takeaway?
What is one thing or habit you want to leave behind?
What did you achieve no matter how big or small?
What didn’t get done?
What is your main focus for the next month?
What is one habit you want to commit to?
I write down all my answers in my journal. Answering these questions gives me a clearer picture of where I am at physically, mentally, and emotionally. By learning and reflecting on the past month, I am set up to be more successful when trying to achieve goals or habits the next month.
For example, my main focus for next month is to move my body more. Since I started a new job, it’s been really challenging to remain motivated after a long work day. My energy is now being depleted for a majority of the day, leaving me exhausted by the time I get home. Moving my body will afford me more energy, of course, but it doesn’t mean I am super pumped to do it! My goal is to move my body once a day for at least 10 minutes, in addition, to squeezing in a workout 3 times a week. Doesn’t sound too bad right? Because I self-reflected, I was able to acknowledge the lack of exercise in January and have now made it a priority to exercise in February. Catch my drift?
Everyone is different when it comes to making plans and achieving goals, however, I have found that writing down my goals and having them planned out in advance, gives me a sense of assurance that I am working towards something. This is the one of the best ways to track your progress and to keep your goals fresh in your memory. I wrote down my exercise goals with the intention of holding myself accountable and keeping my goals top of mind. It’s important that you find what works best for you, but be sure to include self-reflection in this process. It’s the only way to improve and grow into the best version of yourself.
Let me know your thoughts on self-reflection. I would love to hear from you!
Love you all and take care.
MM
