The Power of Self Reflection

Self reflection is also known as personal reflection or introspection. It is the act of taking out time to think, meditate, and evaluate YOURSELF. It answers the question of “WHY” behind your behaviors, attitude, thoughts, desires, and even motivations.

It is easy to think that we consciously self reflect when in reality, what we do is worry. Self reflection gives you the opportunity to think through your life from a micro and macro level from a past, present and future timeline. Macro level involves the overall trajectory of your life. Where you are in relation to where you want to be, etc.

But on a micro level, I like how Geil Brown defines reflection as follows.

“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. It’s about tapping into every aspect of the experience, clarifying our thinking, and honing in on what really matters to us.”
Geil Browning

It is a way of shutting oneself from the incessant noise from the world. For instance, when I see terrible action done – Say beat a woman who I call my wife – I ask my self critically, if I was in that persons’s shoe, would I have do the same?

Or if I hold a position in the government, would I siphon money? This act of self reflection thus prepares me for a future event. It guides me to know how to react if a certain event should happen. For instance, I know how to react if someone fails to deliver in time. It is because overtime, I have processed that event well enough to ensure that I am not angry when the event finally happens.

I ask way difficult questions like, what will you do if your partner cheats on you? or if someone kills someone your lover? Whatever answer I give myself helps me prepare for the worse.

I spend most of my time on YouTube watching children in their elements with their parents having fun and I take a moment to remind myself, this is how I want to be available for my family. This constant reminders work like conditioning. I begin to tilt towards it.

One of the best ways to self reflect is by writing. I find myself talking/writing about things I really want to see happen. During my writing sessions, I am forced to think deep enough to analyse and evaluate myself. For instance, when I wrote this article, I was thinking through how and when I have gone beyond my job for a person and when I failed to and how I could have done better.

I also do it for my work as well. For example, if i stumble on an answer I needed some months ago, I take that answer and try to go solve that problem that I was plagued with in the past. I also think through different scenarios where that answer can be useful in the future

Also, self reflection helps us know what and who we truly want. Is the job good for you? Is this the best this relationship has to offer you? Is this course of study what you truly want? Not self reflecting leads us to do things we do not want. We are just flowing with the tide.

Take a moment to always pause to self reflect. What are the things happening in your life right now? Is it what you want? Can it be better? What do you need to do to make it better? etc.

Stop living your life on vibes. Start living strategically.

Ask yourself difficult questions like