Self-reflection is setting aside time to think deeply and evaluate your thoughts, attitudes, motivations, and desires. It’s examining your emotions and behaviors and then asking yourself, “Why do I feel and act this way?” Taking the time to reflect on life might sound like an overwhelming task. Yessssss, self-reflection is a personal process. You can’t self reflect for me – l can’t do it for you. This means that you need to be very honest with yourself. Many of us can’t face the truth so we lie to ourselves , running from the truth. You need to be very truthful with yourself otherwise the whole thing would be pointless.
Making this small change to your day-to-day can improve your well-being, strengthen your relationships, make you a better person and help you become better in your personal and professional development. “Why do l speak like that? Why don’t l like praying anymore? What’s causing me to dislike going to church? Why do people keep leaving me? Why do l hate correction? What can l change? Is my behaviour reflecting the character of Christ? If not, what should l change and what measures am l taking to change this?” All these and more are questions we should ask ourselves. It will help us to stop this thing of always blaming people even for things we did wrong.
Okay what about, “How much have l saved? Do l overspend? Why? It’s six months into the year , what have l achieved?” We hate those ones lol even l feel uncomfortable answering that – but we can’t keep running. Let me go deeper (go deeper papa) LOL, “Why do I attract the same kind of men or women? Why do my relationships break within such and such a time? What am l doing to become better as a spouse or a friend or do l expect people to accept me as l am even if I am rude? Why do I keep chasing after people who don’t love me or don’t reciprocate what I give? Am I broken? Am l too needy? Am I responding to life’s trauma by seeking validation from people all the time?” THE UNCOMFORTABLE QUESTIONS ALSO CULTIVATE US!
Putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) allows you to process feelings and reflect on past experiences from a safe emotional distance. You can also compare how far you’ve come by re-reading past entries to see what’s changed over time. You need to check how far you’ve come. Let’s do this ; get a journal for self reflection Fridays. All the questions asked here, we must make it a point that we answer them. Put a date on it and let’s check progress after every month! Things need to change but they won’t unless or until we change! Change is intentional. Become. You will not walk in childish ways and expect the world to keep embracing you and patting you on the back no! The world does not even care about how much you sulk – change!. People can give you a few months of tolerance for a particular behaviour , then they will start disconnecting from you. I’m glad God stays with us through the whole process!
As that butterfly – transformation comes from us actually wanting to become better. And there you’ll be , once a worm – now a beautiful butterfly. Going wherever your wings take you. That’s beautiful isn’t it? The process is not to harm you. There’s so much beauty on the other side. Let’s put in the work. I love you! God loves you! You’re special!! ❤️ (Look at that picture above again)
“This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.”
Haggai 1:7 NIV