Why it’s good to self-reflect
“Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful.”
-Margaret J. Wheatley.
The dictionary definition of self-reflection is the examination of one’s own thoughts and feelings. I have found self-reflection vital in understanding who I am, my values and the future I want to create for myself. Admittedly it has not been until my latter years that I have appreciated how valuable it is.
I remember when a boss suggested I set aside time every day to reflect on how the day had gone. At the time, I agreed it was a good idea, but I felt I couldn’t set aside time to reflect because I was too busy. It was when I had a lot happening, both at work and in my personal life. I was spending very little time with my own thoughts. Instead, I was rushing from one thing to the next, hoping I would not drop any of the balls I had in the air. All the while, my inner voice was screaming, “I need space”. I would squash that voice down and just keep going and until I had to stop and take notice. I finally took notice and realised I was too busy not to take the time to self-reflect.
One of the first points I reflected upon was how I had allowed myself to get into such a position in the first place. I discovered I believed I wasn’t allowed to have the time to reflect. I…
