Self-reflection is the ability to witness and evaluate our own cognitive, emotional, and behavioral processes. It is a process of communicating internally with oneself, where one takes time to think about their character or behavior, analyze the reasons that caused the behavior, where it comes from, what the outcome of the behavior means to them, whether it is effective for them, and what they can do about it. Self-reflection is also a process of diving deep into ones thoughts, emotions, and motivations and determining the great "why" behind them.
Self-reflection is important for several reasons. First, it fortifies an individual's emotional stability and builds two parts of their emotional intelligence: self-awareness and self-concept. Self-awareness enables a person to comprehend their feelings, qualities, shortcomings, drives, and objectives, and recognize their impact on others. Second, self-reflection allows a person to become happy with their good qualities and identify the ones that require growth. Third, the self-reflection process requires honesty of the individual in order to be effective. When a person is honest with themselves when self-reflecting, they are able to understand themselves better, navigate difficult circumstances with intent rather than impulse, and evaluate the path that led to their current circumstances.
Self-reflection can be done in several ways, including introspection exercises, guided journaling, and deep self-reflection. It requires courage, thoughtfulness, and deliberate thinking. Self-reflection is becoming an increasingly important element in any form of study or learning.
