“Reflective thinking enables you to distance yourself from the intense emotions of particularly good or bad experiences and see them with fresh eyes.”
“Thinking for a Change” – John C. Maxwell
November is the time of year in which I begin to look back. I reflect on situations and events of the past year. It gives me the opportunity to put ideas and experiences into a more accurate perspective. By taking this step it allows my doubts to dissipate and gives me confidence for decisions in the present and in planning for the future year. President George Washington observed, “We ought not to look back unless it is to derive useful lessons from past errors, and for profiting by dearly bought experiences.” If we choose to look back at our errors, we can also choose how we look back. We can look at all the mistakes and have the negative emotions that correlate with mistake-making, or we can choose to see errors as learning opportunities in which profound change will occur.
During this reflective time of year, how will you choose to look back? Will you see the mistakes or the opportunities for change?
Sincerely, Kevin Polky, LCSW, CADC