In modern society, we live our lives in a hurry. In response, many well-intentioned people say “stop and smell the roses.” Well, there is a better way to put your life in perspective than stabbing yourself with thorns, and that is through introspection. Once I take time to reflect on my life, I find myself more empowered to face my day because I realize everything is going to be alright.
You don’t have to be Socrates to examine your life, so here are some simple ways to implement a little more introspection into your busy day (and night).
- Meditation
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There are tons of apps and YouTube channels that help you with this. Louise Hay is an excellent example of one YouTuber out there to make your self-care a little bit easier. Meditation (or yoga, which is a great supplement for my girls wanting some exercise) forces you to take some time to yourself to breathe. It doesn’t hurt that there are TONS of health benefits.
- Talking Out Loud
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Alrighty, this one seems a little weird, but hear me out! Try to do this in your room – maybe when your roommate isn’t there, so your sanity is not questioned. You can vent, form ideas or reflect on your day. Have a conversation with yourself! Another good time to talk to yourself would be in the shower. If you don’t want people to overhear you, turn on some music!
- Journal!!!
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Journaling can be tough; I get it. It doesn’t have to be a daily thing or a “dear diary” thing. Write in a style that comes naturally to you. A cute format is “dear future me,” which is great for when you look back on your writing. One way to journal that has worked for me in the past is writing when you have a lot on your mind or are very emotional. This is a great way to calm yourself down and to have something to track your growth as a person. Going a step further, you can read back and recognize patterns in yourself that will help you prepare for similar situations in the future.
- Take a Walk
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“Stop and smell the roses.” Well, almost. A perk of living on campus is the beautiful scenery right outside your door. Explore your campus. Take the unbeaten path. Of course, as always, be safe. Take some time to think.
- Paint, Color or Be Crafty!
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You don’t need to be Picasso. All you need is some paper and (colorful!) writing utensils. This gives you some much needed time (as is a theme of this whole post) to reflect. A fun, easy drawing activity is writing some of your favorite quotes in whatever word art you feel up to doing.