The key to the building self-reflection.

Here is a benchmark: “Healthy Christian Leaders practise self-reflection. Why?

Self-reflection is pausing from other activities to observe what is happening in your thoughts, emotions and behaviours. It is essential to build self-awareness. Like any other skill, it becomes most effective when it is practised at least weekly.

How regular is your practise of self-reflection?

Daily? Weekly? Occasionally? Do you give little time to the habit?

Are you increasing in your understanding of emotional blind spots?

Does your regular self-reflection empower you to take action on insights gained?

Once, I believed that self-reflection is a dangerous practice that leads to self-centredness and selfishness. I was wrong. While it may worsen an existing inclination to be self-entered and selfish, it is not necessarily an entry point to either. To safeguard this, seek to grow in your awareness of God and others while you also practise awareness of self. The three are interrelated. We are impoverished and diminished if our focus is only God and self. We are lost if our focus is merely ourselves and others.

Self-reflection needs to include our awareness of God and others. In my practise, I start with becoming aware of the presence of God and where He was with me during the week. Then I reflect on my actions, thoughts and behaviours in my key relationships.

In my next blog, I explore the door that self-reflection opens—to take action on insights gained.

A couple of self-reflection tools

Daily Examine – Ingatian Prayer

https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/the-examen/

(I love the focus on the presence of God)

Don’s weekly reflections.

On Monday, I load this template into Evernote (saved as template) and label it for the coming Monday eg Reflections 24th August 2020. Then, I enter my appointments and schedules because I want to include them in the next week’s reflections. If something significant and unexpected happens during the week, I open the note and make updates.

Don’s Weekly Reflection Guide

Questions that aid my reflection to build awareness God, others and self.

Where did I experience the presence of God?

When was it hard going?

How is my emotional tank?

Any signs of burnout:

Where was I critical of others?

When was I withdrawn?

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday