We talk more and reflect less.
While talking, we express our views, convey our feelings, pass on messages, share our learning, and divulge our emotions. In talk, we give more space to our standing and less to listening. We argue to win, and finally, we add nothing to our understanding.
While talking is essential, we have to spare a few minutes daily to reflect on our own feelings, emotions, strengths, ignorance, faults, envy, and commitments. Reflection refers to reviewing our past dealings, interactions, and experiences. Someone has told us something; we must filter what we hear. We have read books; we must reflect on the takeaways. Retain what increases our awareness and omit what is contradictory.
Going through content is essential, but knowing the context makes our learning powerful. Rote learning is like the only skeleton of a body that is not giving clear pictures to our minds. We must enhance our understanding through reflection on each and every word and sentence. Simply listening, reading, or writing makes no sense until they make us more reflective.
An expert gathers data, analyses it, and then assists others in making informed decisions. This is a reflection on the part of that professional who foretells what is likely to happen. Weather forecasting is based on studying all the ingredients of the weather in greater detail. Thus, it entails reflecting on valid points.
Every day, we are in a hurry. We have no time to reflect on our own work. We miss observing our own emotions and behaviours. Reflection is an effective tool that helps keep us on track through the elimination of errors and omissions.
We do everything to look physically fit, but pay meagre attention to being fit internally. Internal fittings entirely depend on improving our understanding through continuous learning. And, in fact, without reflection, our learning is not complete.
In reflection, we are not simply correcting our mistakes but also challenging our long-held thoughts. Where reflection is greater, rigidity is lesser. Take a step back and think about what we plan to do or are already doing. Insights gained in the process of reflection provide opportunities to march ahead with confidence and determination.
Just ask one question at the end of the day. What have we learned today, and how is it going to make tomorrow better? Give no space to worrying and wild assumptions during these special moments.
To conclude one thing, researchers take years of hard work. On the other hand, we conclude many things without knowing them in detail. Eventually, most of the time, we conclude something on the wrong side. It happens because we are not ready to investigate the matter. We are not listening fairly, we are not habitual of verifying facts, and we are not coming out of fixed sets of beliefs but taking a final view just to satisfy our egos and solidify our viewpoints.
It is worth mentioning that on many occasions, even reflection fails to provide a conclusion, and matters are decided through the process of "waiting and watching.". Many issues before us are still vague; their decoding may or may not happen in the days to come.
Evolution never happens in a day, and it took a century to know what the cause of a particular phenomenon was. Many episodes are still mysteries.
Reflection is applicable first to understand our teachings, thoughts, and actions, then to relate them to happenings around us and to find our roles in these entire arrangements. When we are strong from the inside, we are in a position to create conditions instead of fitting into the given milieu.
Reflection enriches our wisdom. Passing days without reflection adds nothing to our wisdom. Reflection is our input, and wisdom is our output.
Reflective thinking is a great tool in our arsenal. When we practise it, we try to find meaning in our hard times. We don’t succumb to our suffering.
Even a fact is not final. When we dive deep, we come to another kind of reality. So harness the power of reflection and continue focusing on what matters to us.
Staying away from useless activities can provide us ample time to reflect on relevant issues.
Humans believe in logic, and reflection opens the door to knowing the what, why, which, and when of the many codes of our lives.