When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Is your first thought a reflection of something you don’t like about yourself?
When you reflect on a circumstance that didn’t turn out the way you hoped, do you see only what you did wrong?
When it comes to self-reflection, there’s a tendency to focus on the negative, which is the biggest reason many don’t practice it at all. These negative thoughts can be overpowering. You start to believe these ideas to be true, even when there’s no truth to them. Eventually, those thoughts become your truth—you lose confidence, doubt yourself, and stop taking the risks necessary to achieve your goals.
With all that negativity, it’s impossible to be your best self.
Reflection is powerful—and necessary.
How you leave those moments of reflection significantly impact what you get out of it. When you shift your mindset to focus on the positive, or at least the lessons learned, self-reflection is an incredible opportunity to turn experience into insight and improve your business, relationships and your life.
Self-reflection empowers you to:
Focus on Growth
Self-reflection is a fantastic chance to learn. Learning is a catalyst for growth. A positive mindset makes all the difference. It moves you past thinking you’re not good enough and gives you permission to recognize that something needs a change and the ability to make that change.
Ask yourself: What can I learn from this situation?
Be mindful of how you reflect. Reflect on the process. Reflect on what worked and what didn’t. Think about improvements that can be made.
Use the insights you gain to create a new path—make a new plan—that will lead to success in the future. Focus on improvement. Think of reflection as a chance for honesty without judgment. You’re not beating yourself up for something not working the way you intended. Instead, you’re giving yourself the opportunity to make it better the next time.
Let Go of Perfection
Perfection is an ideal. You want to be the best you can be, but that doesn’t mean you have to be perfect. Expecting perfection from yourself—or anyone else—only sets you up for disappointment.
Ask yourself: What can I control in this situation?
If you made a mistake, learn from it. How can you improve next time? What can you do to ensure you don’t make the same mistake again? It’s only a failure if you allow it to be and give up.
What if it’s something beyond your control? Maybe a personal weakness or limitation. Through reflection, come up with strategies to accommodate for those perceived imperfections. When you develop ways to overcome shortcomings, they become less of a hindrance, and you become that much stronger.
Accept Yourself and Others
The process of reflection gives you a deeper understanding of yourself. You learn why you react certain ways and why you have specific beliefs. With that knowledge, you’re able to be patient with yourself. You gain an appreciation for who you are and realize your own value.
The love and understanding you gain for yourself through self-reflection can pass on to the other relationships in your life. You’re able to be more flexible and empathetic when dealing with others. You’re more open and forgiving of others.
Self-reflection empowers you to love and accept who you are and recognize that, even with faults and imperfections, you are enough. You build a stronger relationship with yourself and the people around you. Reflection allows you to grow to reach your full potential.
Sometimes self-reflection is confusing. It can be hard to know what to focus on or easy to get mired in the small details and lose sight of the big picture. If reflection is a struggle for you, let’s talk! Email me at lauren@coachwithlauren.com. Let’s create positive change in your life.