“A man must find time for himself. Time is what we spend our lives with. If we are not careful we find others spending it for us. . . . It is necessary now and then for a man to go away by himself and experience loneliness; to sit on a rock in the forest and to ask of himself, ‘Who am I, and where have I been, and where am I going?’ . . . If one is not careful, one allows diversions to take up one’s time—the stuff of life.”― Carl Sandburg
Making time for reflection can be as simple as setting aside a few minutes a day and creating a quiet time. This quiet time is necessary because we can only reflect on our inner self when our mind is peaceful and calm.
It is important to make self-reflection a habit, something you stick with, even if not done for long periods at one time. Try to make it an enjoyable personal ritual and allow it to become something you feel you need to do regularly to enhance your life.
Self-knowledge and self-discovery begin with learning to be comfortable with yourself in moments of quietness and relaxation that are free of obligations. Use this time to learn and practice the art of self-reflection, creatively remembering experiences, and by having thoughtful inner conversations with yourself. One aspect of happiness is the pleasure of liking your own company and being your own best friend.
Getting Personal
What are some of the everyday factors that often make it difficult to practice self-reflection as much as you would like? What, if anything, can you do to improve the quality and amount of self-reflection in your personal life? Any examples?
“We do not learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience.” (John Dewey, American philosopher, educator)
“Self-reflection entails asking yourself questions about your values, assessing your strengths and failures, thinking about your perceptions and interactions with others, and imagining where you want to take your life in the future.” (Robert L. Rosen, American film producer, director)
What is self-reflection and why is it so important? Click on button below:
**** Top of post image (Looking at Reflection of Face in Hand-mirror) from iyarn.com, January 8, 2020
