The Practice Of Reflection
During the last month, our local schools have held graduation ceremonies, conducted final exams, enjoyed field days, and, last week, finished the last day of school. All over town, it feels like a huge, collective sigh as everything announces “It’s officially summer!” We made it to the longer days, slower mornings, and all the things that summer brings. At Focus On Fewer, we’ve talked about what a summer “reset” looks like. And, closely related to that, we find this week’s focus: reflection.
Maybe we don’t always call it that, but the practice of reflection is common in our lives. For example, we take a test at the end of lessons; we turn in reports at the end of projects/assignments; we debrief after group tasks/projects; and we participate in performance reviews and evaluations at work. And, on the heels of Memorial Day, where we remember those who sacrificed their lives for American freedom, we enter the summer with a mindset of reflection.
When we stop to pay attention, the practice of reflection teaches us to understand ourselves.
When we take time to assess accurately, the practice of reflection reveals patterns.
When we value self-awareness, the practice of reflection guides us to see next steps.
Much sooner than we want, the slower pace of summer will rapidly become the hurriedness of another school year, another project, another earnings report, or whatever awaits your attention in the Fall. What would prioritizing the practice of reflection look like for you?
Need some help getting started?
Think about the last 5 months (that takes you back to the beginning of 2025) of your life.
List 3-5 highlights from that time.
List 3-5 challenges from that time.
What worked really well during that time?
What did NOT work well during that time?
Of those things (the answers to questions 4 & 5), how many of those things were in your control?
What do you notice about yourself in those situations?
What, if anything, will you change, going forward, as a result of your answer to #7?
If you don’t want to go back that far, just look at the last month of your life. The idea isn’t the amount of time that you are considering. Rather, the main point is that you are reflecting on a period of time, identifying specific events, evaluating your actions, and making decisions based on that information.
Full disclosure - the practice of reflection isn’t easy. And, sometimes, it isn’t fast. But, fast, slow, or somewhere in between, I’ve never found it to be a waste of time. I don’t think you will either!
