Developing Yourself Through Reflection

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Why Journal?

You journal when you make a record of your thoughts, feelings, and experiences on a regular basis. Most people who journal write their experiences down, either on paper, or electronically; however some use other formats – for example, by keeping video or audio journals.

If you don't do it already, journaling might sound like a waste of effort; after all, it's just another thing that you need to fit into an already-busy schedule. However, you needn't spend long keeping your journal, and it helps you grow, professionally and personally.

One of the biggest benefits of journaling is that it gives you the opportunity to reflect on your experiences and learning. Journaling helps you:

Identify mistakes you've made, and reflect on how to avoid them in the future.
Review learning, keeping information fresh in your mind.
Develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Become more self-aware Add to My Personal Learning Plan and emotionally mature.
Another advantage is that journaling helps you develop communication skills, because you learn how to express your thoughts and feelings clearly, and you get to practice your writing skills more often.

Journaling also helps you deal with negative events more effectively. One key study showed that people who used a journal to describe and analyze their emotions after a stressful event felt more positive about it in the long term.

Last, journaling helps you keep track of the progress you make towards your goals Add to My Personal Learning Plan. It's motivating and fulfilling to reflect on what you've achieved.

Examples

You can journal in many ways. Consider these examples:

Lochland writes in his journal after attending training classes, to reflect on what he has learned in each session. He cements new concepts in his mind by writing about how he will use them with his team.
Marissa writes in her journal each evening after work. She takes time to reflect on what she did well, and she thinks carefully about what she could have done better, especially when it comes to interactions with her team. The self-awareness she has developed through journaling has helped her to become more empathic with her team members. She has also become a much better listener.
Edward has felt unfulfilled in his work for several years. A few months ago, he began writing a journal every morning to see if he could find new purpose Add to My Personal Learning Plan in his work. Edward can now reflect on the previous day and recognize how he made a difference for his customers and colleagues. Daily journaling has rekindled his motivation and enthusiasm.


https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/journaling.htm