Get to know yourself better: 3 ways to practice self-reflection

What is self-reflection?

Do you ever ask yourself why things are the way they are? Maybe you have certain questions in the back of your mind that you can't find answers to.

Why don't you belong to a certain group? Or why do you do things you know you're going to regret? And while it's hard to make time for self-reflection, you can't keep avoiding these questions forever.

Self-reflection is thinking deeply about your personal behaviors, thoughts, attitudes, motivations and desires. But this is not always easy. We live in a fast-paced society where taking a break to reflect is almost a lost art.

Reflecting on yourself is not a once-in-a-lifetime thing, but an ongoing process. And this requires time and effort. So why should you engage in self-reflection?

Why is self-reflection important?

If you go through life without thinking deeply about who you are and what your purpose is, chances are there will come a point where you get stuck. You lack fulfillment, don't achieve the results you want or blame your partner or environment for your own stress.

These are the moments when you need to face yourself. How are you living your life? And how is this different from how you want to live your life? A lack of self-reflection causes you to lose sight of the things you care about.

Answering these questions can be confronting. You may find that you have completely ignored your own needs or feel like you have wasted precious time. And while it is sometimes difficult to face this reality, it gives you a new perspective on life. These insights are there so you can find new principles to guide you through life.

How do you engage in self-reflection?

There are several ways you can engage in self-reflection. Asking deep questions, meditation and writing are a few examples.

1. Ask yourself important questions

Self-reflection is an ongoing process. Therefore, think of a few key questions that you ask yourself regularly. For example, every week or every month. Some good questions for self-reflection are:

• What did I accomplish this week/month?
• What lessons did I learn this week/month?
• How did I take time for myself?
• What do I want to do more of next week/month?
• What do I want to do less of next week/month?
• How can I improve next week/month?
• What am I looking forward to next week/month?

Answering these questions keeps you in harmony with who you are and what you want.

2. Meditation

Meditation is a practical way to get to know yourself better. While meditating, there are no outside distractions and you can focus completely on yourself.

By muting outside distractions and noise and standing still, you can hear your own needs and desires more clearly.

Sitting in silence can be difficult at first. You probably start thinking about all the things you are worried about. But after a while, the meditation process becomes easier.

The more often you meditate, the better you can understand your feelings and thoughts. You perceive them (without judging them) and acknowledge them for what they really are.

3. Writing

Putting your thoughts on paper is a great way to gain more self-insight. This is because writing asks you to actively choose words. This stimulates you to think more deeply about your thoughts, feelings, values and beliefs.

Do you feel like you're stuck? A simple writing exercise can help you get unstuck. Set a timer for 10 minutes and write down everything that comes to mind. There is no right or wrong.

What topics are important to you? Are you discovering patterns? Weaknesses? The writing process allows you to organize your thoughts.