5 Ways to Practice Self-Reflection

Self-reflection is a skill you can use to gain deeper insight into how you think and live your life. I personally utilize daily self-reflection practices as a tool to enhance my self-awareness and personal growth. Below is a list of five practices I have found I am able to consistently apply daily (most days). This is not an exhausted list, as I engage in other activities and I am sure you do to!

1. Create and Use a Calendar (preferably colour-coded)

Keeping a calendar allows you to stay organized and keep track of upcoming and past events (obviously). It is also a useful compilation of your own personal data in that it shows you how you are spending your time. I personally use a colour-coded system for quick and easy navigation. I make sure to track almost all of my activities (nails done, family time, tv time, etc.) - this is important to truly capture the big picture of your day to day activities. You can open up your app (I personally use google calendar) and quickly see how you have spent your last week, month or year. For example, I use yellow to track my physical activity. I can quickly tally up how many workouts I have completed the past month - I will put in my walks, workout classes, gym sessions etc. If I see that there are not many yellow slots, I will realize I need to move my body more. I can also reflect on what has been filling my time instead and relate my lack of physical activity to increased events in that month or possibly a low mood. Essentially, in keeping a calendar, you are better able to track where your time and energy is flowing, and able to make changes as necessary to improve happiness, productivity and more.

2. Keep a Gratitude Journal

Journalling in general is unmistakably great for self-reflection in that it prompts you to write about yourself and everything going on in your life. Personally, I am not great at writing out long daily journal entries. Once in a while I will feel inspired to, usually when I am going through a considerable change or making big decisions. What has been more accessible for me is to keep a gratitude journal. I use one I found on Amazon (here - affiliate link*) that is already set up to guide me through two questions daily and that’s it. It doesn’t take much time which I like and it really does result in me focusing on positives of my day and I am always smiling when I write in it. It leads to deeper self-reflection in that I start to notice trends. There are certain things like time with family or time for deep rest that often make it in there. This reminds me of my values.

3. Read a Book That Inspires You Everyday

I believe that if you have time to scroll through social media or watch tv, you have time to read a few pages of a book. And why might reading be of value for your self-reflection practice you may ask? Because reading takes us through an experience via the perspective of another mind that can support or challenge our own perspectives. Millions of books exist and each of us will be drawn to a different genre for inspiration. I enjoy a variety of books, but on the daily, and as part of my self-reflection practice, I personally choose to read a philosophy book. Philosophy is really the study of existence and the mind and I find it to be the perfect fit. Currently, I reach for the Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday (here), as it provides a daily passage for me to read and reflect on. This offers guidance and keeps me on track, just like with the gratitude journal offering me prompts each day. It’s quick and mind provoking. If reading is not your cup of tea, you can always listen to an audiobook and of course you can read more than this everyday.

4. Track Your Finances Each Month

Tracking my finances is similar to keeping a calendar. It allows me to analyze where my time and energy is going - quite literally, as money generally comes from working which is time and energy. If for example, you find you are spending more money on alcohol, you can reflect on why you are drinking more and if it is fulfilling. You may find you are increasingly stressed out from work and therefore consuming more alcohol, or you may have had an enjoyable month full of celebrations with no regrets. Of course, tracking your finances also allows you to allocate your money according to your financial goals which ultimately represent your values in life and what you are working towards. There are a number of ways to go about tracking finances. I have not yet found the perfect method for myself, but I am currently enjoying using an excel spreadsheet. Excel has a template available, and there are a number of videos on youtube offering templates. It takes a little bit of time at first, but once you find something that works for you it is simple. I know that some banks even offer their own financial planners.

5. Write a List of All That You Have Accomplished

Often we write out our goals which serves a helpful purpose of its own, but how often do you reflect on how far you have come? Each year I make a list of everything I have accomplished. It can be as simple as trying a new hobby you wanted to or as big as finishing your university degree. Write it all out and be proud of the things you have done. You will in return self-reflect on what has been meaningful to you. If there is something you wished you would have been able to include in that list, that is when you know it can go on or stay on the goals list.

I hope this read was helpful for you and maybe even prompted some self-reflection. Please share your favourite self-reflection practices in the comment and let me know if you would enjoy a part two from me!

*The amazon links are affiliate links where I would make a small percentage from your purchase - thank you for the support!*