SELF REFLECTION QUESTIONS for LEARNING ABOUT YOURSELF
Back in December, I guided my newsletter fam through four weeks of self-reflection by providing questions that prompted reflection on our relationship with others, with work, and with our mental/physical health. Many of you really enjoyed those exercises, so today I included them all in this blog post! Self-reflection is not an end-of-the-year exclusive— it can be done at any point! Learn more about yourself and get inspired to make changes by answering a section of these questions every week for the next month! Good luck :)
Week One: Reflecting on your relationship with OTHERS….
The circle of people we have around us can have so much impact on how we navigate the world…members in our circle can help lift us up during times when we need a helping hand (because we all, at some point, need the help), but they can also do the opposite. They’re worth investing extra thought into.
To me, reflecting on the relationships in my life is as much about making sure I have good quality people around me as it is about questioning how I can be a contributor into a relationship. All relationships are a two-way street….they require nurturing and effort to reach their highest potential.
Some things to think about:
Who are/is the people/person you feel closest to? What is their influence in your life?
Do I feel a gap in my circle?
How can I be a better [partner/friend/sibling/etc.]?
Have I reached out for help when I really needed it? Why or why not?
When’s the last time I showed my [partner/friend/sibling/etc.] appreciation?
I think one of the things I’m always trying to get better about when it comes to maintaining relationships in my life is “check-ins” i.e. ending someone a text, setting aside time to make a spontaneous phone call/facetime, etc. When I get overwhelmed with my schedule I can find myself in a bubble, but I want to be more intentional about reaching out to the people I care about during those time. This year filled with lockdowns and separation from my loved ones has reminded me how much I love and need connection with other humans, so it’s something I always want to prioritize!
Week Two: Reflecting on your relationship with WORK….
Whether you’re a student or working a 9-5 (or both...if you’re both, I bow down to you), we typically invest a lot of time and energy into our careers. It has a powerful influence on our day-to-day mood and outlook on life, so it’s an area that I find especially important to regularly check-in on.
Most of us, at least at some point in 2020, had to deal with a new reality of working from home this year. As someone who’s been working from home full-time for nearly two years, I know first-hand that the working from home experience comes with obstacles— obstacles in the form of endless distractions, increased alone time, bursts of unmotivation, etc. If you struggled this year with this new reality, know that you aren’t the only one.
My constant work obstacle? Not being firm on boundaries.
Working from home means the lines between life and work can easily blur together (especially as a content creator), so I normally find it necessary to set firm “no work” times. Since we’ve been spending so much time at home, I’ve been lax on those boundaries, and it’s something I want to work on strengthening. I think hustle culture has really been glamorized on social media, but achieving success in your career doesn’t require every hour of your life to be productive. Other components (relationships, hobbies, relaxing time, etc.) have just as much importance 🙌
Questions to ponder:
Has work/school gotten in the way of me investing time into myself and into relationships I care about?
What’s an accomplishment you’re proud of from this year?
What did I learn about myself during lockdown when I had to study/work from home?
Which emotions arise when I think about school/work?
Is my sense of self-worth tied to grades/salary?
How does comparison play a role in my life?
Does thinking about my future scare me or excite me? Why?
Week Three: Reflecting on your relationship with YOUR MENTAL HEALTH….
This past year has been challenging and when I look back on how it affected my mood/emotions, I picture a graph of sporadic shifts up and down— fear, stress, anxiousness, joy, gratitude, and inspiration all mixed into one confusing-tasting cocktail, haha! Although setting aside time for our mental health doesn't always come naturally, it's one of the most important acts of self-love we can do.
Questions to think about:
what was the state of my mental health these past 12 months?
have I made investing time into my mental health a priority?
is my relationship with social media positive or negative? how can it be improved?
what are my favourite self-care practices?
do I have ways to release my emotions in a healthy way? do I bottle things up?
do I make thinking about things/people I'm grateful for a daily habit?
what frustrates me about my brain?
what are three things I’m proud to have accomplished in the past year?
Some of you may find yourself looking back and feeling shame over what you haven’t yet accomplished; on social media, people are constantly highlighting all of the amazing things they are doing and you will inevitably feel the urge to compare your resume to theirs (I get it because I am guilty of doing the exact same thing). So a reminder to you and I….be kind to yourself and be proud of your wins! Whether they're big or small, give yourself a pat on the back for whatever you have accomplished — even if it's perfecting that iced coffee recipe or learning how to remove leftover wax from a candle (which, FYI, all you have to do is freeze the candle and use a butterknife to pop out the wax). Our life journeys all naturally go at different paces, and there's beauty in those differences.
Week Four: Reflecting on your relationship with YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH….
Throughout the past five years that I've lived in Downtown Toronto, moving my body daily came naturally because there's LOTS of walking involved with city life. However this year, as a result of lockdown, tons of time was spent near home, tuning into meetings/events virtually through a screen. So I know I need to be more proactive with finding ways to get my body active: yoga, HIIT workouts, longer walks outside, etc.
I also recognize that, as work continues to keep me busy, ensuring I'm making time to fuel my body with foods that will give me energy is important. One of my favourite tools for improving my food choices in the kitchen is meal planning i.e. scheduling, in advance, meals that you'll have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner all week. I'm guilty of not always making smart choices at dinner time when I get caught up with a deadline, but meal planning (and meal prepping) does make it easier to resist ubereats, haha!
Questions to think about:
what are three things I love about my body?
finish this sentence: when I take time to move my body, I feel….
what physical activity do I enjoy the most? (If you have none, consider: what's a physical activity I've always wanted to try?)
what are ways I can incorporate more fruits and veggies into my meals?
do I have any questions about my health?
is the inner dialogue about my body positive/negative? how can I be kinder to myself?
Do you like taking time for self-reflection? How often do you check-in with yourself? Let me know in the comments below! Looking for more ways to bring self-care into your life, DOWNLOAD my self-care freebie HERE! Until next time, Xo —C.
