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I have to admit, reflection has always been a really challenging skill for me. As an individual who is always on the go and focused so much on productivity, it's really hard for me, at times, to slow down and make room for reflection in my day-to-day practice. But it's so important that I want to outline some key elements here of the reflective process as well as the importance of "place" when we think about scheduling, yes, scheduling, our reflection time each day.
So there are three different ways that we might think about the reflective process:
1 - Reflection through Writing
Typically, when someone talks to us about reflection, we automatically default to the idea of journaling. It's what many folks do, and there are so many different types of journaling books out there. Some come with inspirational quotes on the cover and completely blank pages inside, while others have prompts or quotes or sentence starters to get you going when you're not quite sure where to start.
2 - Reflection through Speaking
For individuals like myself who like to talk, you may find that it's easier to open up a single audio recording stream just for yourself or one that you share with a thought partner as a space to download your thoughts. For me, I love using Voxer in my accountability groups and in my thought partnerships as a way to asynchronously share ideas back and forth. And I love the app Braintoss as a way to capture my own personal reflections even when I'm on the go.
3 - Reflection through Breathing
In addition to verbal reflection, I want to ensure that you're not overlooking the power of reflection through breathing, whether it's through meditative practice, mindfulness, or just simply sitting in a quiet space to hear the silence. Those moments, where we breathe and we pause, can bring us some of our most powerful and insightful thoughts as we think about plans for the next steps ahead.
The Importance of "Place"
Finally, when it comes to reflecting through stillness, I don't want you to overlook the importance of "place." Within our lives, we come to establish particular places with certain activities. This is why so many of us have great brainstorms in the shower or on long quiet drives because that place over time has come to be known as one that's uninterrupted, where you have space to pause and to think. Whether you are engaging in written reflection through journaling, verbal reflection through some type of recording or app, or reflection through breathing, make sure that you are attending to the space that you're in so that it's meeting you where you are and also where you want to be.
Reflecting in stillness does not always mean we are silent, but it does call on us to pause. I would love to hear from you on social media about some of the ways you are "reflecting in stillness." Please share with me @thelearningloop so that we can continue growing together.
