What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the word reflect?

Is it the action of going inward and reflecting on yourself or a sequence of events? Or do you think about the act of reflecting via your actions?

When I think of what this word means to me, my mind always drifts to the inward component of reflection. When I reflect, I do a mental rundown of how my day went, how I reacted to people, and what feelings, thoughts or emotions my actions provoked.

I absolutely believe reflection is a great way to grow and become a wiser person, but I’ve personally neglected the action involved with reflecting. What I mean by the action is going beyond the mental component of breaking down every detail of my day and taking action as an acknowledgement of my findings.

Two of my favorite definitions of the word reflect according to Merriam-Webster are:

1. To make manifest or apparent.

2. To bring or cast as a result.

I absolutely love these definitions because they highlight the importance of going beyond the act of thinking and about the good and bad things in life, and catapult you to a new level of reflection that forces you to ask yourself: “What am I going to do about it?”

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If your time to reflect is consumed by positive vibes, maybe you can take an inventory of the things that went well and repeat them to keep this energy present in your life. If it’s the opposite, then you can think of ways that you’ll alleviate negativity in the future.

Either way, my challenge to you and to myself, is to bring or keep action in your practice of reflecting.

When we consciously work toward making things manifest, we’re thriving in the power of self-awareness and self-care. We are reveling in the now and aren’t just basking in the good, or suffering through the bad. Instead, we’re  being change agents and taking control of our future. 

So, the next time you find yourself reflecting, take a deep inhale and an even deeper exhale and be fully present and intentional about thinking of ways to actively make the good better and learn from the bad. 

Your soul will thank you for it.

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Ciao Bellas,