Does reflection come to you naturally or do you need some techniques to put yourself in a reflective state of mind?
Knowing how to be reflective is a skill. It can be trained and improved. Many find it easier to reflect when going on a walk or a jog out in nature. If you have a hard time giving yourself the time for a walk to reflect or if you already do the reflective walks but would like to level-up and be able to reflect even when you aren’t taking the time for a walk, then you’ll find these techniques very useful.
The first step for good reflection is to be in a quiet state of mind. Once again it depends on how developed your reflective skills are. The more develop the easier it is to quiet your mind even in the noisiest of environments. But if you are a beginner at this then our suggestion is to start by doing the exercise we’re going to share with you in a quiet environment.
You may do this exercise with your eyes open or closed. Closed eyes will make you aware at a different level. Try both and find what works best for you. If you’re a visual person you will take in many details in your surroundings through your eyes. If the stimuli is too much your other senses will work at a slower pace.
So start by just being aware. Feel the temperature around you. How are you sitting or standing. How is your breathing. What sounds can you hear. What are your thoughts. What emotions are you feeling. Be aware without judging, blaming, shaming or justifying.
Ask yourself some empowering questions:
What have I learnt lately?
What recent experiences have given me the highest return on joy and energy?
What would I like to release?
How would I need to feel and act differently about?
Do this exercise for 7 days in a row and write down your findings and impressions.
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