The Purpose of Self Reflection

Sometimes we get so busy that we forget to look inward to find ourselves – to know ourselves. The purpose of self reflection is to take the time to think about ourselves, our life, and our world. This post is part one of Bloom Brilliance’s Reflect series. The Reflect series will help you develop the habit (or re-develop the habit if you lost it) to take the time to reflect on what truly matters to you.

Discover that you are in alignment with who you are, who you were meant to be, and your calling.

Bloom Brilliance

From the time we are born, we are fed social constructions on who we should be, and how to behave. These constructions can be based on our gender, ethnicity, heritage, where we live, other people’s expectations, and even our personalities. We are told or implied from day one how we should think, feel, look like, and how our life progression should be. This comes from our parents, teachers, family, media and social platforms, and our peers. We are fed fast form information through social media around the clock on our own technology and devices. We look for quick solving band-aid fixes and are now used to that being at our fingertips. This constant stimulation causes us to be quick to react without pausing to find out how we truly feel and find ourselves.

“People measure their self-knowledge by what the average person in their social environment knows of himself but not by the real psychic facts which are the most part hidden from them”

C.G. Jung, The Undiscovered Self

This post discusses the purpose of self-reflection and why it is important. You will learn what self-reflection journaling is and how to start. The Self Reflection Workbook will help you get started with self reflection prompts to dig deeper into yourself to give you some personal insight to what may be holding you back to living with true authenticity and purpose.

Self-reflection often is perceived to be an activity solely for introverts or the sensitive person. You may think it is boring or there is no time. Perhaps, understandably, you would rather do something else that seems more productive and where you will see results fast. Or, you may find yourself acquiescing to the culture of the fast-paced lifestyle and instant gratification, even though it may be burning you out. To pause and reflect on yourself and the world…and to do it purposefully…is a great asset in life.

Why self-reflection is important

Practicing self-reflection is a lifelong journey that allows one to continually find out information about themselves. Because of this, when times come up to make a decision or take action, it will be easier to respond in ways that are true, meaningful, and purposeful.

I like to self-reflect on a regular basis and I am more in tune with myself as a result. For years I have made it a priority in my life to focus on me on a consistent basis. I need time to myself to think so I can feel what is going on inside – rather than what the external world is telling me.

“The world will ask you who you are, and if you don’t know, the world will tell you”

– Carl Jung

If I did not devote concentrated times of self-reflection, I would not be in tune with who I am as a unique individual amongst the world of many individuals, judgements, and social constructions. Through a daily self-reflection practice, I can develop a deeper self-knowledge to be able to make decisions and do things that I know are right for me.

A regular self reflection practice will help you to:

• Dig into and know yourself more deeply
• Learn to trust your intuition
• Discover your calling
• Realize your passions
• Identify what you actually need and want
• Be in tune with your beliefs, values and ideals
• Move in an inspiring trajectory that suits who you are and where you want to head.
• Guide yourself through your life purposefully and with intention.
• Get back on track easier after a major life change or event such as a move, vacation, etc.
• Find out why you feel restless, bored, or discontent
• Be able to take meaningful and purposeful action
• More deeply understand the world and those around you

If the thought of spending so much time “reflecting” seems lengthy, start small. But keep consistent with it. The time spent on yourself is extremely beneficial. You will know yourself much better down the road, and will be confident to do what is right for yourself. Eventually, you may find it easier to cope with difficult situations, and to make more effective decisions. For the most benefit, self-reflection will become a regular practice throughout your entire life.

To know yourself, reflect. Do this on a regular basis

Bloom Brilliance

Develop the Habit of Self-Reflection

“Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.”

– Carl Jung

But how do we make reflection a habit when we are so busy with work, family, and other life demands? I get it. When there are a million things looming over my head, my self-care practices are the first to go. However, I would not be able to function if I did not practice self-care. You don’t necessarily have to do a self-reflection practice every day. It could be a weekly or monthly practice. But making a consistent habit of looking inward will help you gain more knowledge about yourself and what is going on in your life.

If self-reflection is new to you or you want to make a more consistent practice out of it, the first step is to add it into your life. Here are some ways to do this:

Carve out time for yourself

It is important to be consistent, especially in the beginning in order for it to become a habit. Start to find out places in your day, week, or month where you can carve out some time for yourself. Schedule or block it out on your calendar.

Start Small

if you cannot do it daily, try weekly to really explore and do some deep introspection. Dedicate an hour or two to really focus on you on a weekly basis. Monthly might make more sense for you. Start with 15 minutes if it’s easier to get started, eventually you can build up how much time you spend.

Make it a part of your morning or evening routine.

Personally, I like to reflect first thing in the morning. The morning provides a clean slate, and a quiet space with little to no disturbances. For you, it might make more sense to reflect in the evening or another time during your day. The point is to develop it into a habit where you can continually check-in with yourself.

Plan a “you” day.

If your schedule does not allow you to take significant time daily or weekly to go inward and reflect, then schedule a “you” day on a monthly basis to spend a full day to think, journal, follow the prompts and worksheets in the Self Reflection Workbook and to focus on you. Put this “you” day on your calendar every month.

Check in with yourself.

Schedule quarterly, biannual or annual self-reflection times to be able to see how you are progressing. That way you are keeping in check and able to observe a bigger perspective on how you are doing.

Find your space

Ensure you are comfortable, feel good, alone (preferably), and where there are minimal or no interruptions. Truthfully, I’m all about a good self-reflection session in the cozy comfort of my bed or couch. Other good places are outside in nature at your favorite park, backyard or patio, or a local coffee shop with a cool vibe (ensuring that you are not easily distracted by the buzz and energy of people). 

Set the mood – create the right environment

Making a ritual is helpful in getting in the mood. Let’s face it, sometimes it can be difficult to sit down and do the work. With a ritual, it trains your body and mind that this is your time. Whether in the morning or evening, ensure you have time for yourself. Next, perform your ritual: make a cup of coffee, tea, or pour a glass of wine. Prepare your space with notebooks and pens, light a candle, play an inspiring music playlist. Then cozy up with a blanket, relax and enjoy. If you prefer to go out, pack your notebook, computer, and supplies and go to your favorite spot that provides a quiet and beautiful space for solace and reflection.

Journaling and Walking

Journaling and walking are two ways I practice self-reflection. They can help open up spaces to go more inward, move beyond feelings of being stuck, or help explore a thought or situation a bit deeper.

1. Keep a Journal

Keeping a journal is a great way to keep and store all your thoughts while you practice self-reflection. If you have never started a journal, now is a good time to start. You can purchase a pretty notebook or journal. A couple of my favorites are the fringe journals and the moleskin. But any kind of notebook will work. A computer is also useful for compiling your thoughts.

Journaling is my main go-to when I need to sort something out or want to just explore a topic. I’ve been journaling since as early as I can remember, and I still keep my journals from high school. Everything goes into my journal. From my annual goal-setting, to weekly or monthly check-ins, to everyday random thoughts, to gratitude lists, to venting, and more. Writing in my journal helps me come up with solutions – sometimes without even realizing it until it’s written out. It also allows me to look back upon my year, or weeks or months and see common denominators about myself and my life that allows me to gain valuable perspectives about myself.

Here are some ways to use your self-reflection journal:

Use prompts

Use your journal to answer the prompts in the life reflection prompt worksheet in the Self Reflection Workbook.

Free write

Free-writing helps unveil thoughts and knowledge about yourself that you may not discover otherwise. Each entry can start off simply, perhaps just about mundane things, although it can develop into deeper revelations about yourself, your current situation, how to overcome something and discover new solutions, or reveal new aspirations. A much talked about book that urges people to free-write every day is The Artists Way, by Julia Cameron. She advises people to write three “stream of consciousness” pages every morning, long-hand in a journal. Truthfully, I haven’t read the book yet, but this concept is something I’ve been doing since I can remember. My journal has always been a form of therapy. It helps me clear my mind of clutter, get to the root of things, and allows me to resolve and come up with new solutions.

Review

Every once in awhile go back through your journal entries and read what you wrote. Circle or highlight common themes, insights, areas of concern, and things you want to address or expand on. I usually read back upon my entries daily, weekly, or monthly. I also always review every time I finish a journal and am ready to start a fresh one. A lot more may come out of this exercise than expected. You may realize you need to explore certain concerns more deeply. You may also find that seeking therapy or counseling is something you need to help you work through deeper issues.

2. Take a walk

When you feel stuck or unmotivated, going on a reflection walk can help. Movement sparks new energy to your body and brain. It also is a meditative activity that helps clear the mind and create space, clarity, perspective, and insight. Going outside and taking a walk by myself for about 30-60 minutes helps my mind flow freely and I automatically start reflecting on things in my life. I often discover solutions during one of these walks. You can bring your journal with you or wait until you get home and write in any thoughts or insights you had during your walk.

Next Steps

In this blog post you learned the purpose of self reflection and why it is important for personal growth, things you can do to develop the habit of self reflection, and some tools you can use to make it a part of your life. Whether you feel you know yourself or want to discover more, reflecting regularly can help you develop insights about yourself.

Remember when getting started to: 

• Start small – add in small increments of time in your morning or evening routine.
• Create an inviting mood and space.
• Obtain a journal to keep everything in one place.
• Download the Free Self Reflection Workbook which provides meaningful life reflection prompts and worksheets to help you in your personal growth journey.

Now you have the tools you need to get started. Remember to start simple. This will be a great journey in self-discovery. I know you can do this!

Download the Free Self Reflection Workbook. Come back for more on the Reflect series.

Sage