Self-reflection is crucially important for leading a healthy, productive life, but only when it's done right. All too often, what we consider "self-reflection" are simply unprompted moments of doubt and insecurity that give in to. These are not useful; they are damaging.
Consider what self-reflection actually is: It's the conscious consideration of our beliefs and actions. It means careful thinking to analyze our beliefs and actions so that we can grow as individuals. Self-reflection should produce an actionable result. A change.
This isn't something that you can do on a whim. You can't be writing JavaScript code, think Is this really what I want to do my whole life?, fall into a minor existential crisis, and call it reflection.
There's a time and a place for self-reflection. Schedule it and design a process around it. For one, figure out what you want to reflect about. Work? Relationships? Habits? Life? Hobbies?
Next, come up with the right questions. This needn't be hard. There are plenty of resources online to browse for inspiration. For example, when you're reflecting on your work, a few questions to ask yourself every Friday could be:
- What did you do well?
- What can you improve?
- What did I enjoy?
- What did I not enjoy?
That could be enough to get you going. If a question doesn't work for you, swap it out for one that does. The format needn't be fixed either. You could write down your answers in longhand, type them out, or record them. Whatever works for you.
When you're deliberate about your self-reflection, you'll be able to see through camouflaged insecurities. Instead of an excuse for self-doubt, self-reflection will become a powerful tool that will keep you on track and help you achieve your life's goals.
