AM I AN ENERGY-GIVER OR -TAKER? — Strive to lift others up; to leave them feeling better than before the encounter. While being mindful of my own energy level, seek ways to create a zest for life in others.

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Remember: 2 minutes. Pause life. Read. Think. Resume life.

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Arrived in the middle? Visit the first post, Where to begin?
(The entire series is available to download as a PDF ebook.)

For each of these prompts, grant yourself 2 minutes for self-reflection.

One-hundred-and-twenty seconds.

Pause life.

Read.

Think.

Resume life.

The prompts will be hit and miss; some will resonate with you and ring your thoughts as a beautiful bell. Some will fall flat leaving you to think I’m daft. Never you mind that.

Pause life.

Read.

Think.

Resume life.

Let’s guess that you have 37 seconds remaining of today’s 2 minutes. For today’s “Think”, please count slowly to 37.  …yes, stop reading now, and count to 37.

Resume life.

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Arrived in the middle? Visit the first post, Where to begin?
(The entire series is available to download as a PDF ebook.)

In this, our journey of small steps, reflection means self-reflection. That requires self-focus.

When you are self-focused—I’m talking about the small time you’re using right now to read this—you are the most important person in the universe.

You focus on you. I focus on me. They focus on themselves. Each of us self-reflects.

We know that other people are not resources for our consumption. It turns out that the best way to change the world… to be happy, to serve others, to be fulfilled… is to work on improving ourselves. Then we can each best do whatever it is we’re called to do.

Our experienced universe is not zero-sum. That means that it is possible for me to improve myself without causing other’s loss. In fact, my self-improvement improves the world. My relationships with others are a part of myself. Improving myself improves my relationships, which—since those relationships are also part of others—directly improves the people with whom I am interrelated.

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Arrived in the middle? Visit the first post, Where to begin?
(The entire series is available to download as a PDF ebook.)

It took me many years to develop my personal habit and routines around reflection. On this blog, I’ve written a lot about the changes I’ve attempted in my journey of self-improvement, including a post in particular detailing what my morning reflection looks like. However, I’m not going into great detail of my habits and routines.

What are you thinking right now, after reading that paragraph?

(Sit with that question for a bit.)

What do you think about what I wrote?
Are you curious to know my story in more detail?
What do you think about being reflective?
Are you curious to know more about yourself?

Whatever you’re thinking, that’s perfect.

What you’re going to do—now through March 1st, is practice being reflective. You’ve done the easy part: You’ve decided to practice.

The first three posts—this one, January 2, and Sunday January 3—are going to explain how this works. In this post, I’m simply introducing you to being reflective upon being prompted.

That’s all for today.

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As a PDF — You can download Practicing Reflection as a single e-book.

My intention is to show you how to develop the skill of personal, self-reflection. I am excited that you are joining me for a journey of small steps!

Today is the best time to share this with your friends. Those joining later can access everything they missed, but experiencing each morning’s post is a key part of showing you how to develop your ability to reflect.

As a PDF.
If you are, (or were at the time,) subscribed, you’ll get each post daily. But you can also download Practicing Reflection as a single e-book.

What is this?
This is a sequence of posts which will appear on my blog early each morning through March 1, 2021. (At which point my blog will go back to its usual daily routine.)

There’s no catch. Everything is free.
There’s no sales pitch at the end either. This is simply my gift to you.

Simple.
Each day’s message has something to spark your reflection. You can simply read it. And you’re done.

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