" Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakes."
Carl Jung
When you look in the mirror you generally know who is looking back at you. You are so familiar with your outer and physical form, but what about your inner being?
How well do you know the person inside of you?
How often do you check in with yourself to see what it is you really need at any given time?
This is self-reflection - getting to know your inner self as well as you know your outer self.
Life gets busy and when this happens it's easy to get so caught up in everything that is happening around you that you forget to check in with yourself. You forget to stop and take a moment to see what it is you need right now.
Slowing down and taking the time to think about your life is helpful and necessary in creating a better sense of who you are, who you want to be, and how you will get there.
Self-reflection is also an incredibly important part of the healing process. Healing is a journey that is full of good and bad days, many ups and downs and so it is really important to regularly check-in with yourself along the way. This helps ensure that you are giving yourself emotional support and exactly what you need, when you need it. Practicing reflection regularly also helps you keep aware of what things you still need to deal with or work on some more - it is a great tool for keeping track of your progress throughout the healing process.
Reflection can be done in many ways and so it's up to you to find what works for you. It involves asking yourself the important questions so that you can gain a better understanding of your emotions, strengths, weaknesses and your emotional needs. Some ways you can practice self-reflection is by journaling , making use of journal prompts, meditating , and even talking to someone you trust and are able to speak freely with can be very helpful.
Below I have made a self-reflection journal prompt sheet to help get you started and to give you an idea of the types of questions you should be regularly asking yourself.
When answering these questions remember to be honest with yourself and stay away from any self-judgment. The purpose of reflection is to assess where you are right now, what changes need to be made and how you will make them, it is not for criticizing or bringing yourself down.
Through this self-reflection process you will begin to get to know yourself in ways you haven't before. You will start to develop a beautiful relationship with yourself that is built on trust, understanding and unconditional love. Who better to become best friends with than the very person looking back at you in the mirror every single day.
So, make a cup of tea, light some candles, take a deep breath and let the journey of getting to know your inner self begin!
"The journey into self-love and self-acceptance must begin with self-examination. Until you take the journey of self-reflection, it is almost impossible to grow or learn in life."
Lyanla Vanzant
Comments