How to Self Reflect

• Ask yourself deep questions like “What have I been avoiding?” or “Am I achieving my goals?” to look inward and understand your needs.
• Write down your goals or use a journal to keep track of your thoughts and progress. Label your specific emotions, like gratitude, to be more self-aware.
• Meditate, go for a walk in nature, or try yoga to get in a good headspace for self-reflection.

Ask yourself deep questions.

Reflective questions help you better understand yourself. Thought-provoking questions like “What have I been avoiding?” “How have I been achieving my goals?” or “How am I holding myself back?” may lead to some helpful insights, and help you better understand yourself and your needs. Don’t be afraid to ask yourself some difficult questions—identifying and reflecting on your weak points can help you improve in the future. “What are you most proud of?” “What stressed you out the most?” “What opportunities did I miss out on?” “What did I start to do but never finish?” are all great questions for self-reflection.

Write in a journal.

Jot down everything that’s on your mind. Take time to reflect on how your day went, along with anything you feel thankful for. Journaling is a great way to curb any negative or unproductive thoughts while helping you look toward the future. You might write about a frustrating experience at work, a tough conversation you had with a friend, or an upcoming event that’s stressing you out. You could also jot down something you did well, or something that made you really happy. It’s okay if your journaling seems jumbled—what matters most is that you’re transforming your thoughts into words.

Label your emotions.

Figuring out how you're feeling will improve your self-awareness. It feels really good to describe exactly how you’re feeling, whether it’s happiness, sadness, anger, or something completely different. Try adding a new word to your emotional vocabulary, so you can be more aware of your thoughts and feelings. Receptive, ecstatic, blessed, reassured, intrigued, resentful, and indignant are all great examples of words for your emotional vocabulary.

Create goals for yourself.

Set specific goals and measure your progress. Write down your goals and outcomes for your career, as well as your spiritual, emotional, and mental health. Once a month, check-in with yourself—have you reached your goals from the previous month, or are you not quite there yet? As you reflect, create new goals for the upcoming month. Your goals could be “I want to be 20% more productive at work,” or “I want to give myself an extra hour of “me time” each week.” It’s okay if you don’t reach your goals right away! Self-reflection is all about the journey and becoming more in tune with yourself.

Practice gratitude.

Use gratitude to help you reflect on all the good things in your life. Throughout the week, focus on anything you feel thankful or grateful for. Practicing gratitude can help you feel calmer, and also boost your feelings of contentment. “I’m grateful for the support system in my life” “I’m thankful to have a roof over my head” or “I’m thankful to have a supportive boss and co-workers” are some ways to practice gratitude.

Get into the proper headspace for self reflection.

Daily walks, meditation, and other exercises help clear your mind. Walk through your neighborhood, a local park, or any other place where you can really unplug and focus on yourself. Meditation and yoga are also great ways to boost your sense of self-awareness. There are plenty of meditation styles to try—guided style helps you focus on a relaxing place or experience, while mantra meditation involves chanting a calming word. There’s also mindfulness meditation, which helps you focus on living in the current moment. A daily walk is a great way to incorporate self-reflection into your busy schedule.

Go easy on yourself.

Don’t criticize or beat yourself up as you reflect. Self-reflection isn’t about judging or criticizing your past decisions. Instead, self-reflection helps you learn from your past so you can reach a healthier, happier future. Instead of thinking “I can’t believe I made that mistake at work,” think “I’m glad I have the opportunity to reflect on my mistakes so I can do better in the future.” Instead of thinking, “I shouldn’t have said that to my sister,” think “I’m now better prepared for future conversations.”

Self-reflect once a day.

Self-reflect regularly, even if it’s only for a few minutes. Just 10-15 minutes is enough time to help you unplug and focus on yourself. In fact, research shows that professionals who took time for self-reflection performed better at work overall. If you don’t have a lot of free time, try self-reflecting at least once a week.

Get an accountability partner.

A trusted friend can help keep tabs on your self-reflection. Regular self-reflection can be tough to manage on your own; instead, reach out to a friend, loved one, or other trusted individual for help. Ask this person to hold you accountable, and remind you to self-reflect frequently. This might be a text, phone call, or any other reminder that helps you remember.

Reflect on your past problems.

Figure out what went wrong so you can avoid repeating the same mistakes. Don’t beat yourself up when you think about the past; instead, honestly identify and reflect on the mistakes you made, so you can make better, more informed decisions in the future. For instance, if you showed up late to work, you might set several alarms for yourself in the future. If you hurt a friend’s feelings, you could pinpoint what you said and how you said it. That way, you’ll know what not to say in the future. If you didn’t get a lot done during the workday, you could pinpoint what slowed you down.