The Power of Reflection

A couple of weeks ago, I spoke at a women's club about self-awareness and the power of reflection. As I looked around the room, I noticed something interesting - many of us know when something isn't quite right in our lives, but we rarely take the time to pause, reflect, and do something about it.

Instead we operate in management mode, constantly tending to the needs of others: our families, our jobs, our responsibilities - without checking in with ourselves. We convince ourselves that reflection isn't something we have time for, when in reality, it is the key to understanding what we truly need and moving toward it with intention.

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Passive Awareness vs. Action-Oriented Awareness

There is a difference between simply recognizing something in our lives and actively doing something about it.

👉🏼 Passive Awareness is when we know something but don't act on it. Maybe you realize you constantly overcommit, but you keep doing it anyway. Maybe you have always loved writing but you tell yourself you are too busy to start. Maybe you feel burned out but never take a moment to ask yourself what needs to change.

👉🏼 Action-Oriented Awareness is when you take small, intentional steps based on what you have noticed. It is when you go from saying "I know I need to make a change" to actually making the change. 

I experienced this shift firsthand. I have always loved creating, but for a long time, I was passively aware of it. I knew it fueled me, yet I wasn't making space for it in my life. Through my own reflection, I realized I was waiting for the right moment (the perfect plan). I didn't need that I just needed to start small.

I created a free guide to help others recognize their worth, and that single action led to four other digital well-being offerings - with more on the way! The lesson? You don't have to have it all figured out. You just have to begin.

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The Importance of Reflection

In today's fast-paced world, we are encouraged to act but not necessarily to pause and reflect. The problem? When we don't reflect, we end up running on autopilot, making decisions based on urgency rather than alignment. 

Science backs up the power of reflection in deepening self-awareness. Research shows that intentional self-reflection improves:
✅ Emotional regulation - Helping us respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively.
✅ Decision-making - Allowing us to make choices with clarity instead of defaulting to habits.
✅ Personal growth - Helping us identify patterns, understand our behaviors, and shift in meaningful ways.

Reflection gives us the power of choice - the ability to take control of our own lives rather than managing everything and everyone else.

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Reflection Questions to Get You Started

If you are ready to move from passive awareness to action-oriented awareness, here are a few reflection prompts to consider:

🔹 What is something I know I need but have been avoiding?
🔹 Where in my life am I managing others' needs instead of prioritizing my own?
🔹 What is one small step I can take toward something that excites me?

​Take five minutes today to sit with these question. You might be surprised by what comes up.

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Take the Next Steps in Your Self-Awareness Journey

To support you in deepening your reflection and self-awareness, I have created two guides:

📝 Free Guide for Self-Awareness & Reflection - A simple tool to spark reflection and build self-awareness.
📖 5-Part Self-Awareness & Reflection Guide - A deeper dive to help you build intentional self-awareness and take action.

We all have to start somewhere. The most important thing? Take the first step.

What is one thing you have been passively aware of that you are ready to take action on? I would love to hear - drop a comment below!