While most of us are pretty good at making daily to do lists, we generally have a much harder time being reflective. In today’s post I present a method that I have been using to become more reflective. There are basically two steps; one to do first thing in the morning, and the other to do in the evening.
Step One:
Think about your day ahead and what will be required of you to make it a good day.
In a journal write down:
- What challenges will I likely face today?
- What obstacles will I face, both internally and externally, today?
- What strengths and virtues will I need to demonstrate to make it a good day?
At the end of the day, complete Step Two:
In your journal, write down an evaluation of how you carried out your intentions for the day.
- Did you demonstrate the qualities you desired?
- Did you encounter unexpected challenges and handle them with equanimity?
- What were the joys and abundances of the day, both expected and unexpected?
Like any new habit, this practice will require hard work and consistency. An essential part of the practice is to record your reflections in a journal.
I recently read about a variation on this practice in the New York Times article about Stoicism. Here’s a link to the article.