Summary:
This article explains how you can reflect and how it can help you further with a problem situation at work or at home. It also describes what core reflection means. This helps you to come into contact with your ideals so that you can deal with what is hindering you with the help of your character strengths.
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Last weekend I asked my youngest son (11 years old) if he knew what reflecting was. He stopped for a moment and said: “Yes of course! First you tell what you have done, what you are proud of, what went well, what went less well and what you would do differently next time”.
I fell off my chair. At his age I really didn’t know what reflecting was!
And yet I have been reflecting for decades by writing in a diary. You can do that too. I describe a simple technique in the 5-minute journal.
Reflection
By reflecting you go to a (work) situation that was inspiring for you or a situation that actually went less well. Reflecting is also useful as an addition to the STAR technique as described in the article on how you can have successful job interviews.
A new benefit of reflection
The benefits of self-reflection are described in this article. It helps to get clarity, it can help you make a decision and it helps you to let go.
For me, thanks to my son, a new aspect has been added and that is that reflecting also helps to think about the experiences you have had, where you are now and that you can be proud of that!
The self-reflection article contains a number of questions that can help you with to reflect. In fact, another question should be added that can only be answered at a later date.
To find out if reflecting really made sense, you might ask yourself: “What actions have I taken after reflecting?” Or “What have I done with the intentions from the earlier reflections?”. Have they had the desired effect? If so, “End of reflection” and on to the next situation. If not, you can ask yourself why it didn’t work and what you can do to get ahead. Then reflection really makes sense. Otherwise it is an occupational therapy.
Core Reflection
Frits Evelien and Fred Korthagen describe in their book, “Working from your core” (in Dutch), an exercise called core reflection. It comes down to “the elevator” as I describe in the article “Discover your character strengths”. Core reflection goes like this:
In the event of a (problem) situation, ask yourself:
- What am I doing?
- What do I think?
- What do I feel?
- What do I want?
By asking yourself this, you focus on your ideal and your character strengths (character strengths are positive qualities you have and are innate). This is how you make contact with your core potential. Usually this makes me happy and I get more confident.
Then you look at what is holding you back (your obstacles such as your self-image, your behavior or beliefs) and you examine how you can use your character strengths.
The final step is to take action and that you use your character strengths to address your (problem) situation. If that goes well, the core reflection for this situation has ended. If not then you can start with core reflection again from the top.
Keep the “Elevator” moving!
The point here is not to analyze problems, challenges or obstacles, but to keep the elevator moving. The “wanting” brings you to your ideal. And with your ideal, your core qualities can be found. If your ideal is connected to your character strengths then you are in “flow”, or in my case, then I feel happy and confident. In that “flow” you are more easily able to observe your obstacles from a higher (and loving) level.
Then you can decide whether you want to go along with these obstacles or use your core qualities to reach your ideal. So, you are not trying to change your obstacles. This only causes resistance and stress.
Do you also want to experience a core reflection session or do you want to know what your character strengths are? Contact me today for an appointment by clicking the button below!
How do you reflect? What do you do to get ahead with your (work) situations? Let me know in the comment field below. I and the other readers of this article are looking forward to reading from you!
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