Self-reflection is a humbling process. It’s essential to find out why you think, say, and do certain things…then, better yourself. – Unknown Author

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Welcome back to Renew Inspiration! Happy New Year! It has been a few weeks since I’ve written or posted an inspirational blog post for you. Unfortunately, I’ve had some family issues arise that needed my full attention and for that I truly apologize. Before I dive into my topic today, I want to express appreciation for ALL OF YOU who have taken the time to read, subscribe, and follow my Renew Inspiration blog. It really means a lot to me. My prayer each and every day is to find the right words to say to help you along this journey called life. I look forward to reading your personal thoughts and experiences in the blog comment section for each post. It’s not only refreshing to hear your point of view, but it is also healthy to have on-going dialogue with one another.

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how I can improve personal growth through self-reflection. Am I happy or sad? Am I willing to make the necessary changes that are needed to excel in all aspects of my life? Am I content right now or willing to step out of my comfort zone to explore new endeavors? These are just a few questions that I have found myself thinking about over the last couple of months.

Have you ever just sat down in a quiet place and allowed yourself to think without interruption? This process is called self-reflection. It’s really important to spend quality time in self-reflection mode so you can:

• • Increase self-awareness
  • Gain clarity inside and out
  • Make positive changes in your life
  • Develop genuine self-confidence
  • Present new perspectives and insight
  • Offer up a glimpse into your soul in its purest form
  • Provide a safe outlet for your personal thoughts and feelings
  • Give a creative space of self-expression without criticism

AMAZON RESOURCE #1 – A Year of Self-Reflection Journal

DEFINE SELF-REFLECTION

Time spent in self-reflection is never wasted. It is an intimate date with yourself. – Paul TP Wong

Before moving forward, I think it is important to understand what self-reflection is before you can commit to practicing it on a regular basis.

Self-reflection (noun):

Meditation or serious thought about one’s character, actions, and motives.

To take it a step further, you must be willing to learn more about your fundamental nature, purpose, and essence of life. Take a moment and look in a mirror. What do you see? You see a reflection of who you are on the outside. For example, you notice your physical facial features, the color of your skin, your hair color and style, etc. However, self-reflection is not only your outward appearance, but it is a way of assessing yourself deep within – mind, body, and spirit. In addition, re-evaluate your goals, attitude, and mindset often. Then, don’t be afraid to make appropriate and necessary changes that will help to improve your personal growth.

HEALTHY WAYS TO PRACTICE SELF-REFLECTION

Life is only a reflection of what we allow ourselves to see. – Paul TP Wong

As you begin to improve personal growth through self-reflection, you will notice a shift in your mindset, an increase of positivity in your life, and discover a deeper connection within. Here’s some healthy ways to practice self-reflection throughout your journey:

• Prayer and meditation – Take a moment to quiet your mind, read a scripture, pray, and meditate. Allow your mind, body, and spirit to only connect with God so you can hear His voice.
• Yoga and exercise – Every day is important to do some form of yoga and exercise. Movement gives you more energy and helps keep you healthy.
• Reading inspirational books – Reading keeps your brain healthy, but reading inspirational books also keeps you in a positive mood.
• Reciting positive affirmations – Reciting positive affirmations will give you hope and encourage you to focus on your goals/dreams.
• Listening to music – Music can be soothing and a great way to calm your spirit.
• Writing or journaling – Writing is a form of self-expression. Capture every moment of your life in a journal so you can pause to reflect on the good times and make changes to avoid bad situations.
• Listening to an inspirational podcast – Strive to be inspired by listening to your favorite and uplifting podcast. Listen to what your mind, body, and spirit needs, but also listen to your heart.
• Drawing and painting – Showing your creative side will help to open your mind to different aspects of life. You become calm and relaxed as if you have no care in the world.
• Vision board – Create a vision board so you can have a road map to success. Be creative and use pictures from magazines or from online, quotes, goals, etc.

FIND YOUR ZONE FOR SELF-REFLECTION

Honest self-reflection opens your mind to reprogramming, change, success, and freedom. – Vikas Runwal

As we stated before, self-reflection is a personal way for you to learn more about yourself. It’s important to find your zone and comfort level so you can reap the positive benefits of self-reflection. Here’s some helpful tips:

• • Tip 1 – Be honest with yourself and with the process. Honesty is key to success. It’s important to remind yourself how things are going and how you are behaving throughout the process.
  • Tip 2 – Notice behavior patterns. Be aware of your behavior patterns so you can strengthen the positive/healthy ones and remove the negative/unhealthy ones from your life.
  • Tip 3 – Be able to articulate your core values. Take time to identify what’s most important to you so you can evaluate if you’re living those values throughout life. Your lifestyle has to shift at some point, and you should notice the change from the inside out.
  • Tip 4 – Be forgiving. Be gentle with yourself when you don’t seem to get it right along the journey. Offer yourself patience, forgiveness, and grace. Remember, we’re all human and we all make mistakes.
  • Tip 5 – Keep track of your self-reflection. Start a journal where you record your observations and monitor your personal growth throughout this process.

AMAZON RESOURCE #2 – 52 Weeks of Self-Reflection 

 TIME FOR REFLECTION – JOURNAL PROMPTS

 My body is healthy, my mind is focused, my soul is calm. – Unknown Author

 Journaling is a powerful way to process events in your life, build self-awareness, get more clarity, and keep yourself on track. Journaling also allows for past reflection, future insight, and present surrender. Keep in mind that this is a journey, and everyone takes their own path.  Ready, set, write!

MIND

• What are you thinking right now in this very moment?
• What thought patterns do you have and how do they impact your life?
• How does meditation guide you through your day?
• Has your mind spent more time today focused on the past, present or future?
• How do you deal with difficult thoughts or failures?

BODY

• How do you feel right now in this very moment?
• What is one old habit you want to eliminate in your life?
• What do you consider to be your most challenging flaw?
• How often do you exercise during the week?
• How do you relax your body?

SPIRIT

• Are you spiritually grounded right now in this very moment?
• What is something you need to be free from and surrender to God today?
• What is your favorite Bible verse and why?
• Are there areas of your life where you need to learn to trust in God?
• How has journaling helped you get closer to being spiritually grounded?

Instead of doubt, sadness, anxiety, and depression, choose to improve personal growth through self-reflection to help you cope with life challenges. You will think differently, feel better, and strengthen your spiritual being. Your whole being will thank you and those people surrounding you each day will thank you as well. Peace, love and blessings!

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS

As I stated before, I look forward to hearing from you. Please take a moment to reflect on these questions and share them in the comment section. You’ll be surprised how much we learn from one another. What are your thoughts related to self-reflection? How often do you practice self-reflection? How has self-reflection changed your life?

Believe in yourself today, tomorrow and forever!

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