The importance of self-reflection
When was the last time you took out time to check in with yourself and reflect on where you at in the world?
Self-reflection is a critical aspect of leading a healthy and fulfilling life. By taking time to pause and reflect, self-reflection allows us to recognise how we can make healthier and happier choices that truly benefit our lives and those around us.
Self Reflection 101
Self-reflection is an opportunity to identify your current state of life. It should give you time and space to recognise your strengths and weaknesses, identify what you value and provide inspiration for your next steps.
A great way to approach self-reflection is by documenting your journey through a platform like Step Up and iyarn. These have created a safe space for you to be honest and open with yourself.
It’s also important to know that self-reflection can be a powerful experience. While some people will be inspired to make life-changing decisions (colouring your hair purple isn’t always a winning idea), it’s important to take a beat after reflecting. Document your journey, then take a day or two before returning to it. This will give you time to process your newfound self-awareness and apply a little more pragmatism to your next steps.
The Golden Rule
iyarn are experts when it comes to self-reflection and checking in. Our founder Lockie Cooke sat down with Australian of the Year nominee Dr Arne Rubinstein to discuss his ground-breaking work.
As part of their discussion, Dr Rubinstein explained his GOLDEN rule for check-ins:
G – Going: How am I going?
O – Occupied: What have I been occupied with?
L – Liked: What have I liked? What is going well?
D – Difficult: What’s been difficult?
E – Excited: What am I excited about?
N – What do I need? What support do I need in my life?
Listen to the full podcast between Dr Arne Rubinstein and iyarn founder Lockie Cooke here.
Step Up your self-reflection game
Here at Step Up, we want to help our community champion self-reflection! Through Step Up you can:
- Track your physical and mental health;
- See your progress over time to help understand your wellbeing;
- Receive personalised physical and mental health resources;
- Connect with social opportunities to meet new people and become more socially confident.
