THE POWER OF REFLECTION

The power of reflection.

The best tool I have in my box of goodies is the ability to reflect—to think about what has happened and apply it to our lives, or use reflection as a learning mechanism. We need this skill so we can grow and learn from the past.

There are many different ways to reflect. Some people like to journal, others like writing letters or emails; still others create art or music. All of these different forms allow us express our ideas in order gain clarity and understanding.

In order to make the most of your reflection experience, you need to challenge yourself and move through different levels—because reflection is more than just thinking.

Descriptive reflection is a form of writing that describes events in the past, without interpreting their meaning.

Your job is to describe the events that took place, rather than what you felt or thought about those events.

dialogic reflection If you want to get past thinking about what happened, and really understand it, then dialogic reflection is a great way to do this. This is where you grade your experience in words like good /bad/etc. When we engage in this level of reflection, we are going beyond simply thinking about what happened and tap into how we think they were. We grade the events. .

This level of reflection may involve a dialogue with others or with oneself.

Critical reflection is where you take the things you've learned and apply them to your own experience. How did the experience make you feel? It's about looking at your own assumptions and biases, as well as questioning those of others. Critical reflection often leads to a deeper understanding of the complexity and nuances of a situation,

Each level of reflection builds upon the previous one, and together they can help us gain a deeper understanding of ourselves, our experiences, and the world around us.

So how do I do it?

In order to reflect on your life and gain a deeper understanding of yourself, it's important to find a way to process your thoughts and feelings. Journaling, meditation, mind mapping, role-playing, dialogue, mindfulness—there are many different ways you can choose to do this!

WRITE IT DOWN

Journaling is a powerful tool for reflection. It can help you process your experiences, clarify your thoughts, and gain a deeper understanding of yourself.

And it's not just for introverts! Even if you're not the type to sit down and write about your feelings on a regular basis (or ever), journaling can be incredibly helpful when it comes to reflecting on an experience or event.

To reflect on a situation or event, try writing down your thoughts and feelings as they come to you—without stopping to edit or judge what you're writing. Be honest with yourself! If you're not sure how you feel about an experience, write down the things that seem true about it. You might even want to ask yourself questions like: "What did I learn from this experience?" or "How will this affect my future?"

As you write, keep in mind that journaling isn't meant to be perfect—it's just another way to think through things!

MEDITATE

What do you get when you combine a quiet mind and a focused breath?

A clear-headed, calm person.

That's right—you can't just think about meditation as something that will help you relax or feel more grounded. It's actually a powerful tool for gaining insight into your own thoughts and feelings, without judgment! This means that if something is bothering you, meditation will help you understand what it is and how to deal with it.

MINDMAP

Mind mapping is the process of creating a visual representation of your thoughts and ideas. It can help you organize your thoughts and make connections between different ideas or experiences. Mind mapping can be used for anything from planning a vacation to more abstract tasks, like reflecting on how you feel about yourself.

You'll need a blank piece of paper, colored pens or pencils (whatever you prefer), and something to write with. You can also use an app on your phone or tablet, if that's easier for you.

First, start by writing down everything that comes to mind when you think about the topic at hand—the more detailed it is, the better! Don't worry if some of it doesn't make sense right away; just write it down anyway! Then go through what you've written and organize it into groups based on related topics or themes. This will help bring clarity to your thoughts and ideas so they're easier to understand later on when it comes time for reflection later on down the road!

TRY MINDFULNESS

If you've ever had a moment where you were so focused on something that you didn't even realize someone was talking to you, then mindfulness is for you!

Mindfulness is the act of staying present in the moment and fully engaged in your experiences. By paying attention to your surroundings, your thoughts, and your emotions, you can gain a deeper appreciation for the present moment and become more self-aware.

It's easy to get caught up in our own thoughts and emotions, but practicing mindfulness can help us step out of our heads for just a little bit and really appreciate what's going on around us.

OH AND BY THE WAY

1. Set aside time each day or week to reflect on your experiences, thoughts, and emotions. This could be as simple as spending a few minutes journaling or meditating.

2. Be honest with yourself! It's important to look at your experiences and actions objectively so that you can gain insight into your strengths and weaknesses. Try not to judge or criticize yourself—just be honest!

3. Ask yourself questions that prompt deeper thinking about what happened. For example, you might ask "What did I learn from this experience?" or "What could I have done differently?"

4. Look for patterns or themes that emerge from your reflections on past events, emotions, thoughts and behaviors (both positive and negative). Do you notice that there are certain types of situations that cause stress for you? Are there certain behaviors or thought patterns that keep coming up?

5. Take action once you've identified areas where you'd like to improve! This could involve setting goals, seeking out resources or support, practicing new behaviors etc…

The goal here isn't to give you a precise formula for how to reflect on your work. There's no way to predict how you'll feel, no one-size-fits-all approach that will lead you through the process effortlessly. The key is to be prepared. By being methodical about your reflection, you've already put yourself in motion towards achieving your goals—and that's essentially what you want to do. It's a simple step, but it's an important one: with that out of the way, all that's left is putting that plan into action and seeing where it takes you.