A reflective journal is a place to write down your daily reflection entries. It can be something good or bad that has happened to you that you can self-reflect on and learn from past experiences.
A reflective journal can help you to identify important learning events that had happened in your life. The events include your relationships, careers and personal life. By writing a reflective diary, you can find the source of your inspiration that defines you today. A reflective journal also provides a better understanding of your thought process.
Reasons to Write a Reflective Journal
To understand the things that have happened.
To reflect on why it happened this way.
To align future actions with your values and lessons learned from your past experiences.
To share and get your thoughts and ideas out of your head.
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According to Schön, there are two types of reflection, one during and one after an activity or event.
Reflection In-Action
When you are thinking about or reflecting while you are in an activity, you are using reflection in-action. Some reflection include:
Experiencing
Thinking on your feet
Thinking about what to do next
Acting straight away
Reflection On-Action
You can do reflect-on-action once the activity has finished based on what you can remember about it. Step back into the experience, explore your memory and retrieve what you can recall. Reflect and understand what has happened and draw lessons from the experience.
Thinking about something that has happened
Thinking what you would do differently next time
Taking your time
Examples to Reflect Effectively
Before the Experience
Think about the things that could have happened.
What are the things that you feel might be a challenge?
The things that you can do to prepare for these experiences.
During the Experience
Observe what is happening at the moment, as you make a particular decision.
Is it working out as expected? Are you dealing with the challenges well?
Is there anything you should do, say or think to make the experience successful?
After the Experience
Describe your thoughts immediately after, and/or later when you have more emotional distance from the event.
Is there anything you would do differently before or during a similar event?
What are the takeaways from this experience/lesson?
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