Sometimes, we feel certain emotions, and we don’t know why. It usually concerns negative feelings, and oftentimes we can’t eden explain what exactly is in our hearts. Can you relate to that?
Have you ever felt like that? Like, you know that you feel bad, but what exactly bothers you? Is it anger, anxiety, or maybe disappointment? If you feel lost and lack explanations about yourself and the states you currently find yourself in, it is time for you to try some self-reflection. Here in this article, we cover the easiest exercises you can do to reflect on your feelings and find out something new about yourself.
Mindfulness Practice
You have probably already come across the word ‘mindfulness’ somewhere on the internet. Basically, it means being present in the moment and fully aware of what you are up to. Being mindful means you don’t get distracted by any thoughts or events, and you are able to keep your full attention on a single activity. For instance, if you are doing the dishes, do the dishes only, and that’s it. No planning your evening, no watching YouTube simultaneously, just you, the plates, some soap, and the running water.
Concentrating on one activity, your physical sensations, and the surrounding environment helps boost dopamine naturally and feel better right away. Do this exercise regularly; you can start with trying to be as conscious as possible about the same action, like brushing teeth, and then pick different tasks, especially some mundane activities you previously considered boring.
This way, you сan notice the little reasons for joy and finally realize if you really hate household chores (spoiler alert: you probably don’t).
Mood Tracking
There is no better way to begin self-reflection than by tracking your mood. Why is it so? Because emotions are a field we often know little about, yet the feelings are present in our lives 24/7.
You can either try to identify and keep track of your emotions without any helping tools, or use apps like Liven. If you search ‘what is Liven?’ online, you will come across a simple explanation: it is a self-discovery app that leads people all over the world into self-awareness, helping them know more about how their mind functions.
So, tracking mood, as well as noticing its reasons and then fighting out the thinking patterns connected with those moods, makes you aware of your emotional capacities and gives you information on how to change your reactions (if you want to do so).
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Gratitude Walks
The practice of gratitude has been really popular all over the world, among people of different cultures and religions. The main idea of the gratitude practice is to make a list of three things you are thankful for in a day. Usually, it takes place in the evening, when you take a minute before going to bed and think about what happened to you during the day and what you found pleasant and worth thanking for.
But there is an even better idea: gratitude walks! It is a convenient way to implement one useful habit into another, combining self-reflection with physical activity. Go for a brisk walk in the evening and during that time, create a list of the things that you are grateful for this day.
This way, one habit will support the other, you will establish a strong association among walking and reflection. So, the next time you will have to walk anywhere, at any time of the day, you will automatically switch to positive thinking and begin thinking about the good things in your life.
This exercise is great if you are persistent enough at the beginning and don’t give up trying, even if it is hard at first.
Journaling
Write down your thoughts. Even if you have no pattern or prepared questions, just start writing about your day. Let it all out! Journaling has been proven to relieve stress effectively, so it is your chance to safely share any secrets you are not ready to tell a real person.
Another way to effectively self-reflect through journaling is answering the prepared sets of questions. The key is being brutally honest. Nobody but you will see these notes and analyze them, so the only point is being discreet.
You can find those lists of questions online; they are usually made up by therapists, so it is not only a safe approach, but a professional one, too. The questions can be united by topics or cover different topics. It is up to you to choose any ideas you like for your self-reflection!
5 Whys
This technique might seem weird at first, but as soon as you try it yourself in different situations, you will see how good it actually is. Not only does it help you understand yourself better, but it can also give you a clue of how to solve some of your issues.
For example, there is a decision that you have already made. Say, moving to another country. To get to the very roots of it, you have to ask yourself ‘why?’.
Why did I move to another country?
To seek a better life.
Why?
Because I felt unsafe and worried all the time.
Why?
Because my community was toxic, and the local mentality didn’t fit me.
Why?
The others here are too conservative to understand me, and I am a big adventurer.
Why?
Because I love life so much!
Here is an example of a good way to validate your already made decisions and see the reasons behind it that might have been unnoticed before.
Do this exercise every time you lack explanations from yourself, and it will make your decision-making process much clearer.
Conclusion
Self-reflection can be a continuous process, but it is easy to make it fun and exciting. If you are ready to reveal some new things about yourself that you haven’t known or noticed before, try the exercises described in this article. Choose the ones you like most and implement them in your daily routine for new discoveries!