I’m not talking about the reflection you see in a mirror or on water. I am talking about being introspective of yourself, self-reflection.
It is a very good habit to have. Reflection isn’t about prognostication or what-if scenarios. It has nothing to do with anxiety thinking either. It is simply just looking at yourself.
Why do I do this in this kind of situation?
Why do I feel this way?
What is going inside my head?
It is a helpful skill for anyone. It allows you to grow as a person. It can help you to react in a way you would like to instead of the way you do. It can help you to understand yourself more. It can help you to find your strengths and weaknesses and how to support them.
I am asked to do a lot of reflection as part of my studies. It is a good skill to have as someone in the field of psychology. If I was a researcher, it would allow me to find how my own views would affect my research. As a psychotherapist, it would let me look at my own reactions to my clients and how I would carry the job. But it’s not just good for psychology. I think it’s an important skill for any person. We are constantly growing and changing. Taking a moment every once in a while to look into yourself isn’t a bad idea. We can take a moment to look at why we have behaviours that we don’t like. We can look into why we do it. But it’s good to balance it with the good as well. What am I good at. How can I grow in a direction I want to grow?
It gets easier with time. I like to use my reflective journal separate from my normal journal. I usually pick a topic that I want to go into. I write down anything that comes into my mind about it first. Sometimes I realise that I think about a particular topic this way because something happened when I was younger. This allows me to take stock of my biases.
It’s also important to note that this is for you only. No one else needs to see it. There is nothing embarrassing or wrong with what you are writing down. All of this just helps you to understand what is going on inside your head. It’s also important to do it in a neutral way. Don’t talk down on yourself, or put yourself down. There is no right or wrong way to do it. You are just getting to know yourself. Make sure you have time for yourself in a calm environment. There is no right or wrong time to do it. It’s fine to do it just before going to bed, just remember to end it on a positive note. If it is making you feel anxious, take a step back and ask yourself why. Questions, like why, what, how, who, are good way to get started too.
I hope this gets you started on your journey to better knowledge about yourself.
Katrina writes 