SFH #198: Introspection
Look within to grow and blossom 🌻
Hi and Happy Hump Day 👋
IDEA 💡
I bet you were asked to be introspective at one time or another in this life by a wise elder, yes? A quick refresher: introspection examines and reflects on one's thoughts, feelings, and experiences. News flash for those not seeing this benefit clearly out of the gate: being introspective can substantially aid our human experience by providing much-needed perspective and unlocking the door to critical learning. Here are some examples I've discovered and grown from thus far.
1. Self-awareness: Introspection has truly helped me develop a deeper understanding of myself. I've spent much time evaluating and exploring my beliefs, values, motivations, and emotions in therapeutic settings. Where do they come from? How have they evolved? How do they align with each other and my experience relating to others and the world? This self-awareness has been crucial for my personal growth, which has led to deeper understanding and a more fulfilling life thus far!
2. Emotional regulation: You can better identify and understand your emotions through introspection. Learning about my emotional experience was such a big one coming from a place of not practicing or seeing the healthy demonstration and space for the spectrum of the human dynamic range of emotions. I grew up learning to avoid anger, sadness, and fear. And mitigate those negative emotions by capturing or displaying more joy, happiness, and contentment. I'm now teaching my boys that all emotions are okay and safe to feel and display. And that expressing and processing all of their emotions can help them understand their experience and how to relate to themselves and others. I believe this freedom of understanding enables us to manage and regulate our emotions effectively, reducing impulsive reactions and promoting emotional well-being. And if you know me, you know I needed to reduce my impulsive reactions 😜.
3. Problem-solving and creativity: Introspection has encouraged me to think critically and analyze my experiences and challenges. It has now helped generate creative solutions to problems and innovative ideas by examining my thought processes and making connections between different pieces of information. I love a good puzzle connection for new insight. 💡
4. Improved relationships: I've gained insight into my relationships with others by reflecting on my interactions and communication style (especially the failed versions). I don't always get it right, and I've regressed at times, especially in close and historically friction-filled relations. And yet, these insights have led to better communication, empathy, and conflict-resolution skills, ultimately enhancing the quality of my relationships globally. 🌎
5. Stress reduction: Introspection has taught me the underlying sources of stress in my life and, thus, develop direct strategies to cope more effectively - hello thermogenesis! Deeper insight promotes mindfulness and learning diverse stress management techniques, contributing to my overall well-being.
6. Increased empathy: Introspection has fostered empathy by encouraging me to put myself in others' shoes and understand their perspectives and emotions. I have accessed more compassion in this practice and considered how my behavior affects interactions with others.
7. Self-acceptance: Introspection has helped me understand my strengths and weaknesses, providing more opportunities to embrace myself: good, bad, and incredibly the ugly. This self-acceptance has indeed led to a boosted self-esteem and self-confidence.
8. And finally, lifelong learning: Through introspection, I've continuously learned about myself and the world around me. I've been encouraged to stay curious and open-minded. It's hard for me not to keep peeling back the onion as time passes. Cheers to lifelong learning and personal growth. 🥂
RESOURCE 💦
One of the things I’ve learned along the way from being introspective is how and what I like to learn. And I’ve discovered that a mix of reading and listening to content has expanded and advanced my knowledge and skills. Speechify has been a sleeper tech tool to help me get audio versions of my email, favorite articles, and all types of text I want to convert. If you’d like to try it for yourself - try this link 👈
QUOTE 📣
"It is always our own self that we find at the end of the journey. The sooner we face that self, the better." - Ella Maillart