Practice self-reflection for personal growth

There are times when you might feel like you’re not progressing, or just living a day to day existence with no real direction. 
It happens to everyone so don’t worry. In this post we will see how the practice of daily self-reflection can help you grow.

What is self-reflection ?

How well do you know yourself ? Self-reflection is a way to analyze different parts of your life. It’s a necessary part of your personal growth journey.
You can see self-reflection as a tool or mirror that allows you to be honest with yourself, helps you understand yourself and get better to reach your full potential.

Why is self-reflection so important ?

Making self-reflection a habit can separate extraordinary people from the rest. Knowing yourself deeply doesn’t mean being better than someone else but it means you will be more apt to align your vision with your actions. 

Those who take the time to reflect on themselves to improve in different aspects of their life, tend to achieve their goals easier and to live a healthier and happier life.

Even if you are satisfied with your current situation, practicing self-reflection can have a lot of benefits.

• Enables self-development
• Increases self-awareness
• Improves communication skills
• Allows you to be in the present
• Provides clarity

7 tips to practice self-reflection for personal growth

1. Schedule a block of time

For self-reflection to be effective, it’s important to set aside some time for it and create a habit. Depending on your lifestyle, it can be once a week; twice a month for one hour or thirty minutes. There are no rules, you can adjust this self-care moment as you want.

2. Keep a journal

Once again journaling will be your best friend. Keep a journal to document your reflections, write down your thoughts. Having a journal allows you to be honest and objective with yourself and track your progress over time.

From time to time it can be  great to read your old thoughts, how you handled a situation

3. Stay away from social media

Smartphones and social media have a lot of advantages but there are times when people spend more time scrolling than living their life.
You might also feel down if you constantly compare yourself with people sharing the best moments of their lives on social media.

Social media distracts us from our life. It’s essential to learn how to disconnect from technology and be in the Present

4. Meditate

A lot of people think meditation is boring, not for them etc but meditation is one of the greatest tools for self-reflection. You don’t have to be a professional. Even if you do it only for five minutes, with practice you will see and feel the benefits.

Sit down in a calm environment and notice your thoughts, focus on your breathing, and take notes.

5. Keep learning everyday

“Everyday is new chance to learn”

Use the chance that you have to be alive to learn, discover, try new things. Whether it’s from an experience, mistake or about a skill that you want, a topic, yourself. You can always learn something to grow and improve yourself.

Learning is an important part of personal development.

6. Connect with nature

Spending time in nature, going for a walk are known to improve oneself’s mood and they’re a great way to be in the Present and clear your mind. You can use this calm moment in nature to let your thoughts wander. 

This is a helpful way to reflect on yourself and for creative thinking.

7. Ask yourself open-ended questions

In your journal or in a recording device, answer open-ended questions such as:

• What did I learn this week/month ?
• What can I do to improve ?
• Overall, how do I feel today ?
• Am I doing what makes me happy?

Use these questions to start with self-reflection, notice your thoughts, and be open to what comes in your mind. Be objective and non judgemental toward yourself.
This exercise will allow you to be clearer about yourself, feelings and actions.

Overall, self-reflection is self-care. It’s a powerful tool for personal development and growth. Use self-reflection as a way to understand yourself, your strengths and weaknesses and improve on aspects you want to reach your full potential and create a path toward a more positive and fulfilling life.

Note: self-reflection can become toxic if you judge yourself in a negative way