“The unexamined life is not worth living.”
~Socrates

Pick the Brain publishes wonderful articles. They always get me thinking and make me want to share those thoughts to you to see what you think.

What struck me about this article: 6 Questions You Need to Ask Yourself Everyday was the seventh question the author posed; Do you spend time reflecting on your day?

I do. I call it journaling :-) My journal and I have a standing appointment at the end of each day. I actually have two journals. I use one to count blessings, list “good things” and set Intentions. I use the other to share things that I want to record, or release. It doesn’t matter what I write. What’s important is this daily appointment–with myself.

Journaling is a practice I’ve maintained off and on since I was given a five-year journal at the age of nine. It’s life-giving for me; the practice of journaling helps me to understand myself and my life.

I believe the habit of reflection can be taught to young children. Imagine this scenario:

Baths are finished in the evening and you sit at the kitchen table with your little ones with crayons and sketch pads. You watch while they draw pictures of what happened during the day and you talk about it together. Later at bedtime you spend individual time with each child listening to each one talk about their drawings and writing what they say on the pages. This loving attention and active listening makes it easy for your children to share any anxieties and questions they may have and provides you with the opportunity to address them.

What an amazing experience this would be for children and parents!  How easy it would be to help a child form a lifelong habit of self-reflection.

Do you reflect on your day? What do you do? How did you/do you/will you encourage your children to do the same?

Photo credit: Rachel Kramer