How Does Reflection Help

Even in my own classes where I teach robotics and coding, I give kids a chance to reflect. We call this student reflection time. This time allows for growth to happen. What did they learn today, what is the real life application of the skills they just picked up and how they use what they learnt to positively changed the world? These are some of the questions I request my students to ponder upon.

When we create pockets for downtime throughout the day, and quietly reflect, we allow our sensations, feelings and thoughts and emotions to be processed correctly. And that is why mind wandering is so good for recharging the brain. When we stop external stimuli, we are helping complete the feedback loops in our brain to address all the situations and circumstances that we are currently experiencing. When we allow for contemplation, we deeply connect to our trueselves. That is where we tap into our intuitive spirit to understand our values, our strengths and our limitations.

The Value Of Reflection And Introspection

As humanity, we always seem to be at a chaotic and busy time in our world – especially since we’re in the midst of a digital disruption every day. So, it feels weird to ask you to slow down your life to a walking pace. Stay with me for just a second, because, whether you like it or not, sh*t will always be piling up.

One thing is certain. A life of meaning and fulfillment cannot coexist with stress, chaos and break-neck busyness.

When we slow down, we have a chance to grab onto small pockets of joy as life passes by. Only in stillness, we can understand our intrinsic motivation to do things that we love.
Only in the quietness of our mind, we can listen to our inner voice. Only when we slow down, we can evaluate our progress and recalibrate where we’re headed. But one of greatest virtues as humans is our inherent patience. And we must unleash it if we want to get better at how to we take life head on. Because, initiation into inner self work is a long and tedious process. And it requires a lot of patience and forgiveness with ourselves.

Read more HERE.

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The Brain on Default Mode

What’s more, pausing literally changes the brain’s structure. Silent moments of mindfulness actually enables the formation of more folds in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). The process is called gyrification. This is really important because the PFC is the executive branch of the brain – it aids in processing feelings, regulating emotions, cognitive flexibility and decision making.

Our brain is said to be in the “Default Mode Network” during the process of self-reflection – the psychological task of reflecting on one’s traits and characteristics. This self-reflection aids in what is called “Autobiographical Planning” which takes a note of how we tell ourselves stories of our past and our future – in a way to connect different experiences to translate them into ideas for our most persistent problems.

Frequent and consistent brain breaks give our brain a chance to shift its focus away to something low-stakes and fun for a few minutes. They are also shown to boost productivity and creativity once we return to our learning tasks. What’s more, seeking refuge in silence allows us to give grace to ourselves and to others around us.

Read more HERE.

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Nobody reaches enlightenment or internal happiness or does serious internal work in group settings. ~ Naval Ravikant

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Become A Logophile

A journal is a meta activity, a place for self-reflection. The story where you are your own heroine and villain.
As a logophile, I write down in my journals every fascinating tit-bit of information when I hear it from strangers or loved ones, or read works of writers or while laughing out loud to stand-up comedians I adore. Which is why you will find in them an eager assembly of anecdotes that my children spill out in busy evenings.

Read more HERE.

Taking Cues From Nature

Meditation in its noun form means true nature. Contemplation is the art of remembering who we truly are. Reflection leads to contemplation which guides us to meditation.

There are two primary reasons to adopt pockets of silence every day. At best, to feel a deep sense of gratitude for everything we have. And at a minimum, to reflect on the meaning and purpose of our life.

For the love of our smartphones and our digital lives, please unplug often and live out in the open, literally! In the nothingness of daily silence, you will discover your infinite potential.

As a daily reminder, start living life in a 3 part cycle. Take inputs and stimuli from the world. Pause to turn inward to reflect on what just occurred. And slowly send your response back outward. At the end, the world is not the confusing or chaotic thing it is made out of be. The understanding or lack of it is within us. Because, the outer world is a true manifestation of what your inner world looks like.

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