Reflection for Transformation

Reflection is an essential part of transformation. If we don't reflect on what we've done, where we've been, whom we've seen, and how we've lived, we can't measure any sense of transformation in our lives. Pick a moment—it could be a day, a week, a month, biannually or annually. I use these timeframes to reflect on each of those periods seperately, both in the moment and from a broader perspective. This includes looking at my life from above, objectively, so I can "see" each moment, the small picture, the big picture, and the whole picture, ensuring continuity and harmony.

However, before engaging in reflection, we need to understand our baseline. This brings us to the most important question: "Who am I?" What is my life baseline? What am I comparing my reflection to? How do I identify myself in my world? What is my story and personal narrative?

I've shared narrative information in a previous blog post, and it's something I'm spending a lot of time on right now. It is essential knowlegde for the self-discovery process that only we posess. It's crucial for understanding why we are the way we are and how we've become who we are. This understanding can greatly impact the quality and effectiveness of what we learn during our reflection.

One way to practice reflection is through meditation. I know meditation can seem daunting sometimes—some people think they have to sit still or quiet their minds. You don't have to do any of that if it doesn't work for you. You just need a moment in a place where you won't be disturbed, so you can have time for yourself and allow your mind to filter through your experiences.

Select a specific moment or time period to reflect on. Don't try to reflect on everything at once; it's too overwhelming. Choose a day or moment to start with; assess how you feel and what your thoughts are about your experience during that time. Maybe you had an interesting interaction with someone, experienced a wonderful event, or faced something difficult. Assess what you felt about it, and then assess your thoughts about it.

Try doing these two assessments seperately, without the influence of each on one another. For example, ask your self: "Was what I experienced a smart or healthy experience for my life?"- then ask "How did I feel inside my body when I had this experience". The feeling part may come without words as a sense of knowing that we all have, and it informs us when we learn how to listen to it. Does the information from each assessment match up? Is there conflict between the two? For example: Misalignment- "I love this person (feeling), but their belief systems do not align with mine (thoughts)." Versus alignment- "I love this person (feeling) and their belief systems (thoughts) match up with mine."

In that moment, do a debrief. What worked? What didn't work? What would you do the same? What would you do differently? Use that reflection to see how you might change your actions next time or communicate questions you may have for more clarification. Adopting the pratice of further inquiry can be a critical tool to avoid assumptions or the creation of mental stories about a person or situation. Another useful guidance tool is: if you are unsure about the decision, do not make the decision yet.

Reflection helps us understand what we did, and question if we need to keep it the same, enhance it, or change it. This knowing gives us the power to create transformation. If we are unsure how to make that change, finding suppport may be the next step. A guide, coach, integrationist, etc. can be helpful with creating and organizing an action plan. To watch a deeper dive on this topic, click the link below.

Reflection For Transformation