Self-reflection is a powerful practice that can help us better understand ourselves in many ways – from our values and purposes to our relationships and careers. Read on to learn about how it can help you recalibrate your life towards your goals, figure out what you truly want out of your life, and discover ways to make intentional decisions that can pave your way to success. 

What Is Self-Reflection?

Self-reflection – also called inward reflection or self-introspection – is a process of accessing and analyzing different aspects of life. Generally speaking, this practice involves carefully examining your thoughts and feelings. It can allow you to better understand yourself as you ponder different things including your thoughts, attitudes, behaviors, motivations, and desires. 

As a solitary activity, self-reflection can help you understand various components of your life, and explore the reasons behind the way you think and feel – without worrying about others’ expectations or societal pressure. Since every person has a different life experience, each individual’s means or need to reflect can vary. For instance, you can evaluate how certain events have led to your current situation, or how your friends or family may have influenced you and contributed to who you are today. You can also consider whether your reactions during a past event were appropriate. If there is room for growth or improvement, investing your time to reflect on your life can help you learn to respond differently when you encounter similar events.

Why Is Self-Reflection Important?

Self-reflection can give you a clearer sense of direction. It can help you see whether the things that you are doing now align with your goals or not. This can be important because if you don’t practice self-reflection regularly, you will move through different phases of life without careful consideration and evaluation. A lack of self-reflection can lead you to lose your sense of purpose. For instance, someone who does not reflect can hold onto things that do not match their long-term goals – and in doing so, often wasting their time and energy – and can end up moving through life blindly. For instance, professionally, one may get stuck in a bad job with a micromanager. Personally, one might be trapped in a toxic relationship with a gaslighting partner.

This can be harmful in many ways, and one may waste their precious time working on something that does not help them move towards their ultimate goal in life, or move further away from their dream – or even wind up in situations that are quite damaging, which could have been more easily avoided or left behind with a bit more clarity at the time. Through self-reflection, you can evaluate things in your life more easily, and assess whether these are the things that truly align with you – whether or not these are things that deserve your time, energy, and effort.

The Benefits of Self-Reflection

Self-reflection can help you make better decisions as it helps you better understand your values. You can use your values as a beacon to help you make wiser choices that align with them. And these values become more clear to you, you can also feel more confident while dealing with life’s various choices. Self-reflection can thus help you experience less self-doubt and confusion when facing important decisions – and sometimes, even lower your stress and anxiety. This process can help you explore how your past has influenced you, and the reasons behind your feelings. This can help you learn from your past choices, make wiser choices, and avoid making the same mistakes in the future.

It can also improve your relationships. By assessing your current relationships, and dive deeper into thinking about how you feel toward the people in your circles, you will be able to make wiser choices. For example, during self-reflection, you can consider whether your current relationships – with your partner, friends, family, or co-workers – are nurturing and empowering, or harmful and discouraging. You can then learn to invite those who support your goals into your life, and, if necessary, establish healthy boundaries to protect your well-being. 

How To Bring More Self-Reflection Into Your Life?

Self-reflection requires discipline, but there are no specific steps that you must follow in order to practice it. It is a personal activity that can be done anytime and anywhere that you feel comfortable doing so. 

There are many ways to practice self-reflection. Common methods include: 

• Journaling

• Meditating

• Writing

• Spending time in nature

• Practicing a breathing exercise

Before starting a self-reflection session, we recommend finding a quiet space where you can take a break from the hustle and bustle, and stay intentional and aware in the present moment. Just as there is no specific way to reflect, there is also no particular time or day to practice – it all depends on your own preference. If you need a guideline to start with, however, the end of a cycle (be that the end of a month, a year, a job, or relationship) can be a great time to do so, before you redirect yourself into achieving new goals, learning from your experience, and ensuring your life is on the right track. 

10 Self-Reflection Questions To Ask Yourself 

Need a little help getting started? You can try asking yourself the following questions. Remember - there is no right or wrong answer, whether you choose to explore them through journaling or writing, or simply pondering them. 

1. What do you want most in your life right now? 
2. What do you wish others knew about you? 
3. What would you do if today were the last day of your life? 
4. Have you defined some goals for yourself, and if so, are you working towards them? 
5. What can bring tears to your eyes (whether that’s happy or sad tears)? 
6. How much control and autonomy do you have over your life? 
7. Are you doing what matters most to you in your life? 
8. How could you brighten up someone's mood today (even if that someone is yourself)?
9. Who has the most influence on your life? 
10. What do you want others to remember about you?

All of the content on our website is thoroughly researched to ensure that the information shared is evidence-based. For more information, please visit the academic journals and other resources that influenced this article: What Is Self-Reflection and Why It Matters For Wellness; Self-Reflection 101: What Is Self-Reflection? Why Is Reflection Important? And How To Reflect; 15 Essential Ways to Practice Self-Reflection; Get To Know Yourself Through The Act Of Self-Reflection; 87 Self-Reflection Questions for Introspection [+Exercises]