Five benefits of positive self-reflection

Happiness is more than a mood; it’s “a state of well-being that encompasses living a good life, one with a sense of meaning and deep contentment.” It is a personal commitment to be optimistic even when your conditions suggest otherwise.

In order to test your happiness quotient, look inward, and you can likely find one or two reasons to be happy. If looking inward is not enough, look outward, and you will see one or two reasons to be happy. You can even draw from positive affirmations or the voices of your mentors or loved ones.

Sometimes, finding a favorite phrase to say to yourself and others can make a difference in your day. Whenever I’m asked, “How are you doing?” I usually respond, “I can’t complain.” This simple response helps to reset my mind at any given moment. It also reminds me to be grateful, irrespective of what is going on in the world.

This does not mean being oblivious to the challenges of life. With this mindset, I wake up in the morning with gratitude for being alive. For that reason, my day is generally viewed through a positive lens.

Before stepping out into a world full of both uncertainties and opportunities, consider first engaging in self-reflection. Realize that simply waking up in the morning is a miracle. That means, without this first experience of waking up from sleep, nothing else will follow.

In the United States alone, about 3,279,857 deaths occurred in 2022. Essentially, because you are reading this post, you are not one of those represented by current mortality statistics. In waking up this morning, you received this first miracle of being alive, and so many other miracles follow during the course of your day, including breathing, seeing, hearing, and more.

Breathing: It is a miracle to breathe, either naturally or with the help of an oxygen tank. With this support, the hope of becoming someone else’s inspiration is likely. Simply put, without lungs to inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide, life literally stops existing. That means all other body organs cease to function.

Sight and hearing: The ability to see and hear is a miracle. Being able to see your loved one’s face and hear their beautiful voice is indeed a gift. Such an experience shouldn’t be taken lightly. Even if your vision and hearing are not perfect, you can be thankful for glasses or contact lenses and hearing aids to help enhance these important abilities.

Bones and muscles: There are between 206 and 213 bones in an adult body, and all of the bones are used to sit, stand, and move, and also protect your internal organs and give your body its shape. Other tissues, such as muscles, nerves, tendons, and ligaments, are connected to your bones. Damage to any of these tissues or bones may affect your mobility and remind you that being able to move freely is a precious gift—even if you need the support of a crutch or other assistive device.

Brain and heart: These two powerful organs can never be underestimated. Enormous blessings are associated with having a healthy brain and heart. For one, the brain allows you to process information, such as knowing where you are and remembering where you have been, and so on.

An average human brain comprises between 86 billion and 99 billion neurons. The brain is the powerhouse that determines how you feel, think, talk, and learn. On the other hand, the heart has its own unique function of keeping blood pumping and distributing it throughout the body. With these two powerful organs, life remains a miracle in itself.

In essence, waking up in the morning and realizing that these few organs and many more are functioning in keeping you alive is enough to consider these five benefits of making self-reflection a daily exercise.

1. Hope: If you are looking for a reason to be hopeful, look no further. Because before even going into the world to run errands or work, you have already experienced many miracles by waking up from bed. For this simple reason, how you perceive your day determines how you treat yourself and others.

2. Gratitude: Being thankful is always spiritual. Gratitude brings sunshine where there is uncertainty. It would be difficult to see a grateful person who is revengeful, unappreciative, or unforgiving. A grateful heart leaves no room for complaining and blaming others for their life’s circumstances.

3. Contentment: Contentment counteracts greed. Recognizing that you have enough, no matter how little, is enough reason to be content. Knowing that things are not as bad as they look drives away greed. Interestingly, greed is not necessarily only for those who have a lot. Rather, people who perceive they have less can be greedy, too. So, focus on contentment and avoid greed by being appreciative and generous.

4. Generosity: The best way to show contentment is to generously pay it forward. Be generous if you want to drive away self-pity or a self-absorbed mentality. Volunteer to serve others, no matter how little. The fact that you are alive and grateful is enough to find someone else to extend a helping hand to in whatever way you can. Listen to people who are having difficulty making sense out of their lives. You may be what they are missing—someone to listen to them and offer a listening ear.

5. Choice: If you say life is unfair to you, you are right. And if you say, life is full of opportunities, you are right too. The choice is yours. Choose wisely, for life is what you make it. However you make your bed, so you will lie on it.

Self-reflection is an important exercise. It helps you locate and orient yourself. Practicing self-reflection on a daily basis can reduce anxiety and promote self and other awareness. Intentionally recognizing the fact that you encounter many miracles each time you wake up may be reason enough to be hopeful, grateful, content, help others, and take control of your life. The world is waiting for you to shine your light by becoming the best version of yourself and sharing with others.