Four Ways To Take Time For Self Reflection

It’s important to occasionally take time for self reflection and to sit quietly with your thoughts.

Often times we are rushing through life without the opportunity to stop and acknowledge where we’ve been or where we are trying to go.  We float through life each day without purpose or direction.

This is why it’s imperative to schedule time for self reflection and analyze your thoughts.

Here are a few ways you can tap into your mind and release your subconscious thoughts.  You may not realize it, but these thoughts have been streaming through your mind without you giving much thought to them.

The first way to start self reflection is to take a walk in nature.  This means without looking at your phone or listening to any audio through your headphones.  It’s just you and nature.  As you walk your mind will travel.  You’ll start to ponder things that have been bothering you and the best part is, you may come up with solutions.

This is what getting quiet with your thoughts is about.  It’s to listen and let whatever comes up and letting that happen.  Consciously think about these thoughts and recognize where they are coming from.

The next method for self reflection is to meditate.  Meditation is about quieting the mind and slowing down your thoughts.  It’s about having a thought pop into your head and letting it go so you can bring yourself back into your body and focus on your breathing.  So many thoughts run through our minds.  It’s nearly impossible to stop thinking.  But, each time you meditate you will get better and better at keeping yourself present.

Once you’re done meditating you will feel more relaxed and your mind will be clear.  It’s a refreshing feeling to wake up from a meditation.  It’s almost as if you’ve taken a short cat nap and you’re now reenergized to tackle the day.  You may feel inspired to write or brainstorm new ideas after a deep meditation.

There are so many apps to help you meditate.  A popular choice is called Headspace.  Anyone can start to meditate.  Honestly, it can be quite difficult when you first start meditating because your thoughts won’t stop.  You feel like you’re not doing it right or that you’re not cut out for this meditation thing.  But, the effects of taking the time to meditate are obvious when you become a more kind and patient person.  The added bonus is being in tune with your thoughts and feelings.

Another way to begin self reflection is to sit in pure silence.  Just lay or sit cross legged on the floor and close your eyes.  Let the thoughts come.  Allow them to pore out of you and release the burden they have been causing you.  Feel the stress melt away as you acknowledge each thought in this silent meditation.

The last way you can get quiet with your thoughts and is to write about them.  Take out a blank sheet of paper or open a blank word document and start writing.  Write down everything you can think of.  This includes how you feel and what you’ve been pondering.  There is no time to correct punctuation or stop your train of thought. Just keep writing.  When you’re done you’ll see everything your brain has been thinking about.

Thoughts don’t just happen once.  They reoccur over and over again in your mind.  Putting them down on paper allows you that space for self reflection.  It helps you streamline what’s important and also what’s not.  Realizing you’re worrying about things you cannot control and that it’s just putting added pressure on yourself that you do not need.

Take time for self reflection and to sit quietly with your thoughts.  Take the thoughts that are important and make them a priority. Write these key things down so your mind will stop replaying them because it thinks that you’re going to forget them.  Reflect on what’s important and release the rest.  You’ll feel so much better when you do.