What Are the Benefits of a Reflective Practice
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Last week I wrote about what a reflective practice is… today I would like to share what the benefits of developing and maintaining a reflective practice could mean for you.
There are many benefits to starting a reflective practice. It can help you transform your life in a range of ways – personally, professionally and emotionally. Here are seven ways that it will change your life.
1. Deepens your acceptance of yourself
We are all so busy satisfying all of the demands placed upon us at work and at home that we don’t get enough time to work on ourselves. Reflective practice is one easy way to improve our lives in only a few minutes a day once we get into the habit.
2. Teaches you more about your chosen profession
By assessing your performance honestly, you can uncover any gaps that you might not have realized or patterns that might be holding you back. Then you can take action to deal with whatever issues the reflective practice has raised. This might include going on a course, getting a coach, or working with a mentor or other professional who can teach you the skills you need to succeed.
3. Helps improve your relationships
When we are busy and stressed, we are in “work mode”, not relaxation mode. The busier we are, the harder we are to communicate with. If you haven’t been connecting with your spouse, partner, friends and family for more than a few minutes at a time because you are always so busy, it is time to get started with reflective practice so you can identify trouble spots at work and home.
4. Transforms you from passive to active
Once you have identified your trouble spots, it will be time to take action to fix them. Instead of blaming others, you will take ownership for your part in order to transform these difficult situations. Feeling more in charge of your life will improve your relationships too because you will be proactive about your goals, not react as if things just “happen to you.”
5. Develop new skills
As you work through the process of a reflective practice, you will become better at problem solving, analytical thinking, goal setting and flexible thinking. Depending on which methods you use for your reflective practice, you might also gain other useful and interesting new skills, such as:
- Meditation
- Stress relief techniques
- Time management
- Anger management
- Journaling
- Blogging
- Better personal skills, such as improving your ability to speak in public
…and more. All of these can help you become your very best self.
6. Improved decision-making
Reflective practice puts you in the driver’s seat, deciding what to do or not do. In many cases, you will have a range of options to consider. Regular reflective practice will help you make better decisions. Even if they turn out to be mistakes or “failures,” reflective practice is the ideal tool for learning from your mistakes. In this way you can break free of negative patterns and transform your life from struggle to success.
7. Better organization
Thinking more about what you are doing means you are less likely to do things on the spur of the moment, some of which you shouldn’t. We often make bad decisions when we are stressed or under pressure, and those bad decisions have consequences.
Thanks to reflective practice, you can be more organized and methodical. You work your plan, and make your plan work. You will be able to not only set goals, but also track them as you achieve them, through step-by-step actions that are all organized and designed to contribute to your success.
Now that we have covered just a few of the many benefits of reflective practice, it’s time to organize your journal and a folder on your computer and start using reflective practice to transform all of the areas of your life you feel are holding you back from being your best self.
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Are you ready to make personal and spiritual changes in your life? Consider a one on one private session with Moira or a reading to free yourself from limitations and open yourself up to greater possibilities? Click here to open the door.
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