When things don’t seem to be changing “fast enough,” it’s time for reflection.
It can be hard when we finally face our struggles head on but don’t see results immediately. It’s discouraging when the intensity of our input doesn’t match the expectations of our output. When we start our personal growth journey from the inside out, it takes time to “see” the tangible effects and this can leave us feeling impatient and questioning whether it’s all worth it.
It’s reflection that gives us the ability to measure our progress from a broader perspective instead of comparing ourselves to others or what we “should be” doing. This keeps us chiseling away at the bigger picture instead of focusing on what we still haven’t accomplished.
And though we may still have a long way to go on our personal growth journeys, we can admire the hard work it’s taken us to get to where we are now. Actually, it’s only in the reflection that gives us the recognition that we can do hard things and allows us to see the lessons behind the experiences.
Yes, the thought of reflecting back on where we once were can be filled with shame, guilt or humiliation. However, as we continue to do the inner work, these unflattering memories become a reminder of just how far we’ve come. It takes a pause and a quiet space to truly reflect back on all the steps we’ve taken to get to where we are now.
But finding a moment to pause in our day is anything but a simple task. When we are living the hectic commotion of our lives, we crave the familiar stability of our routines. The annoyance behind having to change our routines fuels our excuses as to why we cannot find time to show up for ourselves. This perpetual pattern doesn’t allow us the opportunity to find time to pause and have a quiet moment to check-in.
When we start prioritizing just one or two hours per week to pause and show up for ourselves, we are able to recognize that subtle but substantial changes are happening from within. We are less reactive and feel less anxious because we are more focused on what we can control. We become grateful for what we have instead of longing for more. And because these changes are subtle and start from within, it is difficult to recognize without reflecting back on how far we’ve come.
And though we can still get caught up in wishing things would change quicker and find ourselves wondering if all this hard work is actually paying off, it takes reflecting back on where we started to prove that it is worth it. Come sign up for our classes as your weekly pause to slow down, filter through the noise, hear your voice again, and reflect back on how far you have come. You will then see that all your hard work is truly paying off.
With love,
Ming-Wai + Ming-Cee