What is Reflection?

Have you ever heard someone say “I need time to reflect on this”? Reflection is an important part of many people’s lives, whether they do it consciously or unconsciously. Reflection is the process of thinking deeply and critically about an experience, event, decision, or other situation. It can be used to gain insight, explore questions, and help people make sense of their experiences. Reflection helps people learn and grow by exploring why experiences occurred, how they were responded to, and the personal and wider societal implications. Reflection is associated with learning, growth, and positive change.

The Benefits of Reflection

Reflection can be a powerful tool that allows individuals to make sense of their experiences, understand themselves better, and adjust their reactions and behaviours as needed. This can help people find meaning in experiences, take responsibility for their actions, develop self-awareness, and use their experiences as a learning opportunity. Reflection can also help people internalise knowledge and experiences, and draw connections between different experiences in order to gain a more holistic understanding and appreciation of the world.

Reflection also allows us to appreciate the small moments in life. It encourages us to take time to appreciate the moments that we may miss in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Reflection can be immensely beneficial for gaining clarity and perspective, solving challenging problems, developing meaningful connections, and much more.

Practising Reflection

When practising reflection, there are some things to keep in mind. Firstly, it’s important to take some time to be mindful and be as present as possible in the moment. This means being in the here and now, tuning in to your thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations without judgement. Secondly, it’s important to use open-ended questions. These types of questions are expansive and encourage the exploration of many ideas and possibilities. Lastly, it’s important to try to remain as unbiased as possible and practice non-judgement. This allows for free-flowing thought and a more authentic exploration of the experience.

In conclusion, reflection is a powerful tool that can be used to gain clarity and a better understanding of ourselves and the world. By taking time to be mindful, practising open-ended questioning, and aiming for non-judgement, we can use reflection to become better learners and more effective performers in life.