SELF-IMPROVEMENT

Acknowledge, Reflect, Appreciate

Day 19, 50 questions for deep self-reflection

This is day 19 of the 50 Questions for Deep Self-Reflection challenge from Know Thyself Heal Thyself created by Diana C.

DAY NINETEEN: How can you honor a difficult situation before moving on from it?

Honor is such an important word here. I feel like often when we are faced with a difficult situation, we are so intent on just getting through it that we forget to acknowledge, reflect, and appreciate the situation. No situation or experience is without an opportunity to learn and grow.

Acknowledgment

The first step to honoring a difficult situation is to acknowledge it. I know in the past I’ve said, “I don’t want to talk about it,” or I’ve just wanted to remove myself from the situation. I wasn’t acknowledging the situation and more importantly, I wasn’t acknowledging the difficulty. The perception that a situation is ‘difficult’ is a reaction and I’ve said it before — it’s in the acknowledgment and understanding of our reactions that we grow.

Reflection

This brings us to reflecting on the situation. Why did I perceive the situation as difficult? What aspects of it were difficult. Was it really difficult or was I just triggered by my fear of not being enough? Was I worried that I was doing something wrong or that the other person would perceive me as doing something wrong? Was I merely reacting to triggers and past traumas to a situation that was really quite straightforward? And even if it’s not a straightforward situation, even if it is complex and layered, what about it was truly difficult? Was it mechanics or physical aspects? Or was it emotions and feelings?

Appreciation

After reflecting on the situation and breaking down why I felt whatever I felt, why I reacted however I reacted, and how I responded however I responded, no matter what the situation, there is always something to appreciate. It may not always be easy to see it and sometimes, it may take a hot minute to be able to even consider looking for the thing to appreciate, but it will be there. Even if it is just a single moment. Even if the only thing to appreciate is a lesson of self or growth. There is always something to appreciate.

How can I honor a difficult situation before moving on from it?

By acknowledging the situation and the difficulty. By reflecting on my own reactions and actions and my perceptions of the situation and difficulty. And by appreciating the growth and lessons I can take away from it.

If you are interested in the journey so far — all the days that came before, I’ve collected all the article links here:

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