As my birthday falls in June (this year is an especially notable one), I like to reflect at this time of year, considering the last year in my life as well as the 6 months since the official New Year, celebrating my accomplishments, and plotting my next steps to progress with my priorities.
We are enjoying the longest days of sunlight of the year here in Cologne, the harvest of the season, and for many, a time of rest, recovery, and recreation before the start of another school year. Maybe we have more space and time to reflect while taking a break from our usual responsibilities. Or perhaps we can take a moment to reflect even in hectic times, to appreciate our progress and plot our course.
Today in episode 055, I’m waxing enthusiastic on reflective journaling practices in dance, yoga, meditation, relationships, life & creativity.
Other blogs and videos on related topics of self-awareness, learning, and growth include:
Drawing is great, too! Visual note-taking strategies have been proven effective for learning. There is support for physically writing this as an analog practice, but if that absolutely doesn’t work for you for some reason, then try recording as voice-to-text, or typing, or whatever seems to work best for the way that you process information and learn. We are all individuals, and need to seek out our own best reflective practices.
The questions we ask ourselves are important to the answers we will come up with, so let me know which of the recommended prompts or ideas you try out and how they work for you. I am planning future blogs on further provocative, “Socratic,” coaching (clearing & other tools), and wisdom-access questions for fruitful inquiry.
Meanwhile, get out your journal of choice and record your responses (then take a picture and share with me for acknowledgement and celebration!) to the questions below:
Blythe Stephens, MFA
she/her or they/them
A Blythe Coach: Dance Education & Coaching
move through life with balance, grace, & power
