Self Improvement Exercise – What Does Your Reflection Say About You?

October 30, 2009 | Posted by Brad Chaffee

What Do You See?

Do you embrace self-improvement? People seem to be too busy to reflect upon their shortfalls, but is that healthy?  Frankly, I think it is the number one cause of denial.  Think about it.  When you do not take the time to reflect on your actions, it makes it difficult to realize there is a problem, or even the smallest need for improvement.

Do not get me wrong, I am not someone who immediately recognizes my faults.  Sometimes it takes some time, but one thing is for sure—I am much harder on myself than anyone else ever could be.  You could call that an advantage, but trust me when I say it doesn’t always prove to be true.

The purpose of this post is to encourage you to take a few moments, a couple times a week, to look at yourself in the mirror. What do you see?  Is it the person you want to be, or is there room for improvement?  Even if it hurts, this is the time for honesty.  Since none of us are perfect, there should ALWAYS be time set aside for personal growth.

To find out if you are on the right track you kind of have to know where you want to go.  What values and principles define you? The following are only some of the many values you may hold for yourself.  Where have you fallen short, and where could you improve the most?

• Integrity
• Honesty
• Independence
• Accountability
• Commitment
• Marriage
• Fairness
• Faith
• Tolerance
• Discipline
• Good Will
• Communication
• Personal Growth
• Community
• Family
• Prosperity
  
• Leadership
• Goodness
• Self Reliance
• Team Work
  
• Strength
• Loyalty
• Punctuality
• Gratitude
• Friendship
• Calm, Collective
• Honor
• Security
• Knowledge
  

Personally, I could name off all of these and many more that I find valuable, but I have highlighted the ones most valuable to me.  Self-reflection is important to building character and growing as a person—without it, you are merely existing.

I have found that the best time to reflect is in the morning, and also a few hours after conflict. The morning, because it is when you have the best opportunity to set the tone for the day.  After conflict, because how you reacted or handled yourself is still fresh in your mind—a few hours after, because that is when your head starts to clear.  Anger clouds better judgment.

As I said, none of us are perfect so self-improvement should always be a part of our thoughts and goals.  This is an exercise that I use regularly to try and figure out how I can improve as a person.  Reading is also an excellent way to learn about yourself and how to improve.

The fact is that as long as you are breathing, you should be striving to grow in every way possible.  You will have more to offer the world around you.

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Brad Chaffee is the Enemy of Debt, and a regular contributor here at the Self Reliance Exchange. Brad has also become debt free by paying off $26,076.75 in just 20 months. Learn more about Brad by reading his bio. You may also contact him here.

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Categories: self improvement | Tags: self improvement, self reflection, self reliance | No Comments »