PART 3: HOW CAN SELF-REFLECTION HELP YOU?

Welcome Back to Part 3 of the Series! In this post, I will talk a bit about how Self-Reflection helps you grow as a person. In case you missed Part 2 of the Series where I talked about why we are scared to self-reflect, then here is the link to that post https://meghamathur.com/2020/06/29/part-2-why-are-we-scared-to-self-reflect/

This quote perfectly surmises what self-reflection is all about. When you decide to self-reflect, you are tapping a part of you to wake up. If you had a chance to read my last post, I had talked about how we stop ourselves from self-reflection with these four words “I don’t have time” We start feeling content where we are and start to FIND ourselves through means of spirituality and religion. Don’t get me wrong, these are great paths to giving life a sort of understanding but don’t exactly take you down a path to “create” a new you. They definitely become a beacon to guide you there.

BEACON TO YOUR SOUL:

One of the most important things that happens when you self-reflect is you look deep within yourself. It allows you to navigate through the facade of your life to show you the real you- the person who was put on this planet with a purpose.

Let me explain this better with an example and I will use “me” for it. There was a time in my life where I was just feeling irritable and angry. I was not sure why I was feeling this way but they were there. On one of my visits to India, my father-in-law, introduced me to a spiritual program on television who he wholeheartedly is a part of. I started watching this spiritual program with him. They started talking about how we turn a situation that is easy to solve into something that aggravates us. Then this episode proceeded to say that sometimes we feel a certain way because we don’t know what we want in life and what our purpose is. I kid you not, it felt like the Universe was sending a message to me. This got me thinking, I was irritable and angry but I was not aware of what the situation was. Within seconds of me asking this question, they talked about the process of self-reflection and how it can benefit us. Now, I was a 100% sure that the universe was trying to convey a message.

So, I started down the path of self-reflection. I calmed my mind down and started writing my thoughts and feelings in a journal. It allowed me to answer these questions:
Why am I feeling this way?
What started this feeling?
How can I stop making myself feel irritable and angry?
What is my purpose in life?

It was not a process of one day but a gradual realization that my purpose in life was helping others feel happy. I knew that somehow I was meant to be in a place dealing with mental health and their stigmas. I made a jump in my life and have not looked back ever since. I had found my purpose.

WHAT COMES OUT OF SELF-REFLECTION? SELF- AWARENESS

Through the process of self-reflection, you become more self-aware of yourself resulting in how you feel about yourself.

Confidence:
Once you are aware of your weaknesses and strengths, you are better able to accept who you are. Being self-aware allows you to not define yourself by your weaknesses. Rather than saying “I cannot do this because of ________”; you will hear yourself say “I know this is what needs to be done, what can I do to make it easier for me”

Coping Skills:
Coping skills are the skills you use to navigate through the ups and downs of any situation in your life. What strategies did you use? Were you able to successfully use them? The coping skills in your life will constantly change and that is completely acceptable because it is not a “one fits all” mantra to your situations.

Resilience:
Being self-aware of who you are brings a certain resilient character to your nature. It allows you to look at a situation, assess it and face it head on. Again being resilient falls back on knowing what your strengths are and using them to their full advantage.

Your Purpose:
Self-reflection allows you find your purpose in your life. What is it that you want to do which will lead to feeling happy and fulfilled. Becoming self-aware of what you will need to achieve that purpose allows you to live with a focused mind.

Happiness:
Isn’t the ultimate goal to feel happy in our life? With all of the above mentioned traits, you learn to be truly happy in life. The key- ACCEPT WHO YOU ARE!

I hope you enjoyed reading this post. If you liked it, then please share it. In, the final post of this series, I will share with you some of the strategies I used in the process of self-reflection and hopefully you all can benefit from them!