Self-reflection is a powerful tool to use on the road to optimal health. If we aim to improve our health, solely through changes in dietary intake and exercise, we can lose the connection we have to our inner voice, that soft voice that tells us what is working and what is not. Our lives our packed with to-do lists, unexpected errands, endless work tasks, exercise and family commitments. And if we do get 5 min of ‘down time’ it is often filled with mindless scrolling through social media or whatever catches your attention on a device. By going non-stop, from the time we wake up until we crash into bed, we don’t allow for necessary time to reflect on how we can make mini-adjustments or daily changes that will benefit us.
If you set goals or resolutions at the beginning of 2023, now is the perfect time to reflect on how those goals are working for you. Are you enjoying the changes you made or does it feel like another task to check off? Are the changes causing a ripple effect, for the positive or negative, in other areas of your life or your body? If so, do you need to adjust to make sure you can continue on your ultimate path of reaching for optimal health? Re-evaluating and even adjusting your goals should not cause guilt or shame, but instead should be empowering as you become aware of what you need to ultimately be successful.
Some people find journaling to be an effective way to reflect and evaluate the ups and downs of their day. For me, I find that I can’t always access the deeper meaning of my words when I set aside a time to write in a journal. I have found it far more beneficial to continually check-in with myself throughout the day and if needed, jot down notes on changes that need to be made. For example, I set a goal to run more consistently during 2023. For me, this meant that I would run more days a week even if it meant shorter runs or slower runs. After each run, while stretching, I take a few moments to decide how this new strategy is working for me. As anyone who runs knows, some runs feel great and others feel like a slog, so I’m not evaluating how I feel about the preceding run, but how the process is working. After a month of running with this new plan, I was able to determine, that I love running based on listening to my breath for a set amount of time versus a set mileage and/pace. I am also aware that while most of body is tolerating the increase in overall mileage and running days well, my heals and associated plantar fasciitis may be worse than before. From here, I need to decide how to proceed in a way that’s best for my long-term health. It may be to run less or it may be to increase the time spent on foot care, either through physical therapy or specific stretches. Either way, I have taken time to see how this new habit/activity is working for me. I have done similar mental check-ins with caffeine and alcohol consumption which has led me to find a balance that allows me to enjoy those substances while paying attention to the point my body no longer responds positively to them.
The process of self-reflection takes practice and time. By no means, do I reflect enough on all aspects of my life, but as I work on small amounts of self-reflection, I hope to increase this awareness into other aspects of my daily life. Parenting may be the hardest area for me to self-reflect on as I find it very difficult to separate reflection from guilt, but as I continue to practice this in areas that feel less critical, I’m finding that I can more often reflect on parenting decisions and interactions without judgement and with an eye on what works and what doesn’t. I’d love to hear what areas of life you find to be easier or harder to reflect upon or ways in which you are able to practice self-reflection. Because, as with almost anything, building a community helps!