Mirror, mirror on the wall... | Creative Coaching

Mirror, mirror on the wall…

At a time when we’re particularly attuned to thinking of others – choosing gifts, reaching out to loved ones, connecting with family and friends – we are also drawing closer to the end of another year. So how about setting aside some time to take a step back and look at yourself?

The practice of self reflection can be defined as ‘the exercising of introspection, alongside a willingness to learn about yourself, in order to help achieve self awareness’. So how can you learn to reflect in a way that is useful and will enable you to grow?

The answer is: with practice. If we steam ahead without self reflection – including preparing for whatever our next interaction may be – we potentially do ourselves a disservice. It’s important to take time out to reflect; understand and appreciate the impact of things you’ve said and done. And it does take time.

Take a good look in the mirror, and take your time. Self reflection is not something to be rushed through – there’s effort involved. It’s not about just stopping to think - rather a deeper analysis with the purpose of developing a greater understanding of yourself and a situation. An honest examination of ourselves reveals how we might have historically approached a situation and how we might do it differently now; and the benefit being that we are informed for the next interaction or situation.

Committing to self reflection can be a challenge; however it has an important role to play in learning and development and is an essential skill to master if you want to lead others.

Get into the habit and start today by:

thinking with a purpose
being critical, not negative
analysing how effective your learning is
questioning and drawing conclusions.

Reflecting on your experiences will contribute to your professional development and personal growth. Find a technique which suits you, whether it’s thinking aloud, talking with a friend or colleague, keeping a journal...

If you’d like some help in developing skills for self reflection, please get in touch at Tania@twcreativecoaching.com

Posted on Thu, December 18, 2014 in Personal Development
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