It’s easy to lose oneself in the hustle and bustle of life. With jobs to go to, children to raise, homes to care for, and errands to run, our thoughts are so adrift in all of our responsibilities that we forget to be present. We forget who we are and who we want to become. It’s imperative to take time for reflection to center yourself and grow. Reflection allows you to dig deeper into your inner being. Here, you are able to work on becoming the best version of yourself possible.

Self-reflection is a kind of meditation. It is a careful thought about your character, your actions, your intentions, and your beliefs. This type of deep reflection is the groundwork for becoming centered and achieving growth. It allows you to become more aware of both the good and the bad aspects of your personality. In becoming more acquainted with who you are, you are better able to work on yourself and bloom into the best possible version of yourself. Let’s look at how you can learn to incorporate reflection into your daily life.

Finding Your Center Through Reflection

How often do you actually take the time to feel? To notice where you are and what you are experiencing in any given moment?

In a “do more, be more” world, we’re constantly on the go and unable to take the time to tune in with our inner being. Every once in awhile we need to stop, take a deep breath, and center ourselves. We need to allow ourselves to be in the present moment, that way we are able to actually feel what is going on around and inside of us.

Have you ever had one of those training sessions where your mind just wasn’t in it? Where you went through the motions but didn’t feel like you were actually there? Reflection can help us to become present in those moments. And when we are present, we are much more likely to get the most out of that experience.

Before each training session, take a moment to close your eyes, breathe, and become present by pushing out other distractions as much as possible and focusing on the task at hand. In order to get the most out of your session, you really want to envision how you want it to go and what you want to get out of it. Taking that time to push aside distractions and envision what you are about to do is a great reflection exercise that you can do before you step into the ring.

How to Start Incorporating Reflection

When you finish a training session do you ever think about what you got out of it – aside from sweaty gym clothes and sore muscles that is? It’s important to understand what you learned from your session and what you can improve upon. Reflection allows you to think back on your experience, observe yourself in action and learn from it.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself when reflecting on a particular experience:

• What did I experience?
• How did I handle that experience? How did I feel inside?
• What can I learn from this experience?
• What did I do well? Where can I perform better next time?

Remember, this approach is not limited to boxing. You can use reflection to become centered and present in any situation. Take time to consider how you feel during the day. If you had a bad day, try to determine what factors played into that and how you can avoid them. If you had a good day, try to emulate that in the future.

The Power of Reflection in Personal Growth

Becoming centered is only the first aspect of the reflection process. When you are centered you are more in tune with your body and mind. It creates self-awareness and a calmness. When you are in this state of centeredness, you are in the perfect position to work on yourself and grow.

With the self-awareness you attain through reflection, you are able to build on your strengths, work on your weaknesses, and take continual steps to improve, both in the boxing studio and in your personal life.

Self-growth is a vital aspect of life. It allows you to continually develop yourself to reach your full potential. It is the foundation of mental, emotional, physical and spiritual happiness. By taking the time to reflect, you can be much more centered within your experience.

Personal growth is a daily process, and there are constantly things to improve upon. Taking the time to reflect daily can help you to work on yourself and make small yet lasting improvements in your physical being, as well as your personality and mindset.

5 Steps to Engage in Self-Reflection

Reflection is a practice that takes time and constant effort. It’s something that has to be practiced on a daily basis in order for it to work. Try setting aside a few minutes each morning and/or evening to reflect.

There is no one right way to engage in self-reflection as it is a deeply personal practice. However, there are some general guidelines you can follow to allow yourself to reap the benefits of centeredness and growth.

1. Determine Your Goals

The most important step in reflection is to determine your goals – both short and long-term. Psychology Today describes how goals often go unrealized because people lack the self-awareness that comes about through reflection.

Setting goals allows you to have a vision for the person you want to become, and to determine where you currently are in relation to that vision. When setting goals for yourself, be sure to set SMART goals. Good, reachable goals should be specific, measureable, attainable, relevant and time bound.

2. Reflect on Your Strengths and Weaknesses

We’ve already conveyed the importance of self-awareness. Awareness helps you to identify your strengths and your weaknesses. Build upon your strengths and use them to become better, and work on replacing your weaknesses with better, healthier characteristics.

3. Consider What You Can Improve Next Time Around

There are always things to improve upon. Take the time to reflect on your daily experiences. Ask yourself what you did well and what you would like to improve upon for the next time around.

4. Be Forgiving with Yourself

A part of reflection and being centered is accepting who you are. In order to accept yourself you have to be forgiving. You will make mistakes. You won’t always get it right. That’s OK; you’re human after all. Learn to embrace the mistakes and be gentle with yourself. Allow yourself to grow out of a place of love and gentleness, not out of hate and harshness.

5. Keep Track of Your Reflection

Reflection is meaningless if it doesn’t actually change you. The best way for change to stick is to write it down. Start a journal and jot down your reflections, this way you can monitor your observations and growth.

It’s Time to Get Started!

Boxing isn’t all about throwing punches and kicks. It’s very much about tuning into yourself and allowing for personal growth in all areas of your life. Reflection is a critical part of becoming centered and growing by setting goals, identifying your strengths and weaknesses, understanding where to improve, and learning to accept yourself. Learning how to reflect upon your experiences will help you Become Unstoppable.

Ready to develop your reflection skills? Get in the ring and book a Gloveworx session today!