After a very challenging year, we are finally approaching a new one. For many people, the new year represents a fresh start and a time for a change. In hopes of reaching new heights, accomplishing bigger goals, and improving as a person, many people set New Year’s resolutions.
But a whopping 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail.
Many people set out with great intentions for improving themselves, but life and all of its ups and downs quickly get in the way. Within a few months, the resolutions are by the wayside.
Here’s how.
What is Reflection?
A reflection is a form of careful thought that requires us to analyze our own beliefs and actions for the purpose of learning. Reflecting allows us to zone out the chaos and create meaning from our experiences. What we learn from reflection can inform our future actions. To reflect, we must have a growth mindset. Instead of becoming complacent or even defensive about our mindset and behaviors, we must think critically about our motivations, areas to improve, and more.
Benefits of Reflection
Reflection is a seemingly simple but incredibly important mental process. Creating a daily habit of reflection is one secret to following through with our goals and setting ourselves up for success. The top benefits of reflection include:
Setting SMART goals will help you stay on track for your women’s body transformation. Here are some of the top benefits of SMART goals for your fitness journey:
Learn from Mistakes
A primary reason that many people fail to reach their yearly goals, including their body transformation goals, is because they repeat mistakes. Instead of acknowledging and really assessing our mistakes, we tend to brush past them, feeling embarrassed or frustrated. Reflection is a time to learn from mistakes. If you have missed your workouts several times because your work ran late, reflection provides an opportunity to find a solution and prevent the mistake in the future. Overall, reflection allows us to use our mistakes as learning tools.
Gain Perspective
We can become so consumed in our personal troubles and busy lives that we lose perspective. The upcoming project you have seems like the end of the world, and that can become overwhelming. Stepping back and reflecting can help us see the bigger picture, which can in turn allow us to feel gratitude and relax.
See the Positive
The negativity around us can be overbearing. It’s easy to forget about all of the positives around us. Focusing so much on the negative leads to negative emotions and states of mind, which do not make us our most fulfilled selves. Reflecting is a chance to look at what’s gone right, which may not be as immediately obvious to us as what’s gone wrong. Instead of harboring on the three sugary snacks that you ate last week, you can reflect on all of the healthy, nutritious food choices you made. Reflection allows us to remember all that’s gone well, which can make us happier and more positive.
Tips for Reflection
Reflection is the most powerful and beneficial when we make it a daily habit. By intentionally reflecting often, we are able to make corrections quicker and to also keep our goals at the forefront of our minds. Some tips for making reflection a daily habit include:
- Start a journal.
- Choose a time to commit to reflecting that is consistent each day.
- Start small. You don’t need to reflect for an hour unless you want to. Start with a few minutes.
- Write down questions. Go back and explore them later.
- Choose the process that works best for you. It could be journaling, talking with someone, blogging, exercising, or even just thinking.
Get Started with Reflection
Reflection may seem intimidating, awkward, or even confusing at first. In reality, reflection can be different for each person. There’s no “right” way to start reflecting, but asking yourself some targeted questions can often help get the ball rolling.
- What’s the best thing that happened to me this year?
- What are the biggest challenges I faced this year, and how did I overcome them?
- What is something I accomplished this year that I’m proud of?
To set yourself up for success this year, you should incorporate reflection into your goal-setting and daily habits. We know just how important reflection is for your body transformation, and how difficult it can be to get started. That’s why the JOC body academy created an End of Year Journal based on reflection. Get started and enjoy the power of reflection today with our reflection journal HERE.
