
Yes, taking time for self-reflection can be difficult.

We end up doing the same things over and over again, even if those things aren’t producing the results we had hoped for. We feel like we’re simply trying to keep our heads above water. The unfortunate result is that we often get stuck.įor example, a lack of personal reflection may lead us to stay in a job we don’t like or a relationship that isn’t going well.Ī lack of reflection causes us to simply keep running, trying to keep up with things even if things aren’t going well. To determine what is going well and what isn’t working. Without self-reflection, we simply go through life without thinking, moving from one thing to the next without making time to evaluate whether things are actually going well. This short video captures the importance of self-reflection and introspection beautifully: But it’s an incredibly valuable practice. It requires pressing pause on the chaos of life and simply taking the time to think and ponder about your life, which is not an easy thing for many people to do. Practicing self-reflection takes discipline and intentionality. It's about tapping into every aspect of the experience, clarifying our thinking, and honing in on what really matters to us."
Reflection definition professional#
"Reflection is a deeper form of learning that allows us to retain every aspect of any experience, be it personal or professional - why something took place, what the impact was, whether it should happen again - as opposed to just remembering that it happened. Geil Browning, Ph.D., talks about personal reflection like this: You can see where you’re headed, determine whether you’re happy with the direction, and make adjustments as necessary.Īt a micro level, you can evaluate your responses to particular circumstances and events. At a macro level, you can evaluate the overall trajectory of your life. Personal reflection allows you to analyze your life from both a macro and micro level. It’s the process of diving deep into your thoughts and emotions and motivations and determining the great, “Why?” behind them. Simply put, self-reflection (also known as “personal reflection”) is taking the time to think about, meditate on, evaluate, and give serious thought to your behaviors, thoughts, attitudes, motivations, and desires.

What Is Self-Reflection? A Self-Reflection Definition In this article, we’re going to break down the what, why, and how of self-reflection. Few things are more valuable than self-reflection.īut what exactly is self-reflection? And what are some simple ways to practice it? Most of us, unfortunately, are living unexamined lives. Taking the time for reflection is a bit of a lost art. Our mobile phones are constantly buzzing, social media is infinitely calling, and Netflix always has something new to binge on. We live in an incredibly fast-paced world. Socrates famously said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”Īnd while this dictum is certainly true, self-reflection is not necessarily an easy thing to practice.
