Believe it or not, this November will make eight months since our world got flipped upside down. The COVID-19 pandemic was an unforeseen circumstance that completely changed our way of living. No eating out, no social gatherings, remote learning, and constant quarantining. Because of this, the person I have spent the most time with over the last eight months is myself. This resulted in an unwanted but long overdue period of introspection for me.
Introspection is the examination of your own mental and emotional processes. Basically, it means to look within yourself (it sounds like something out of a Disney movie, but it’s a real thing!). Being alone a majority of quarantine has allowed me to sit down with myself and confront how I feel about my mental state, my relationships, and my college and career path. Some things I was satisfied with. Some things made me realize I wasn’t as content as I originally thought.
Introspection is hard. A lot of times we come to realize things about ourselves that we’re not one hundred percent happy with. But these realizations are almost always followed by some personal growth, which will put you on the path to the happiness you deserve.
If you’ve never tried to introspect, don’t worry about trying to get it perfect the first time. Just be honest with yourself and be prepared for the occasional brooding. Keep questions such as these in mind when you go about confronting yourself:
Where is my focus? What should I let go of? What am I avoiding? How do I see myself? How do other people see me? Am I mentally healthy? Am I happy with my friendships/relationships? What aspect of myself do I not understand yet? What are my aspirations? What do I want?
Introspection is something I recommend everyone try for themselves and partake in often. It’s easier to be in control of your own self-reflection than to have hard truths hit you when your guard is down. Don’t be afraid to look yourself in the mirror.