Self-reflection for growth and healing script 1

When you are honest with yourself, you may find some areas of your life that need to change, and some areas that need more balance.

In this exercise, you can be gentle with yourself. You can start small, perhaps with a few minutes of journaling, or you can spend a few hours reflecting.

Close the eyes and begin noticing the sensations of the body breathing. When a thought arises, just pause and notice it.

The practice is to return to the breath as many times as necessary. When you become distracted, return to the breath and notice that you are thinking. As soon as the thought arises, you will pause and allow yourself to notice the thoughts.

You will notice when a thought becomes more intense. When that happens, pause and bring your attention back to the breath. The goal is to remain with the breath as often as you are able, even if you are caught up in a thought.

If you wish, record your thoughts in a journal. You may want to write down the thoughts as soon as they arise, or you may wait until the end of the practice.

Self-reflection for growth and healing script 2

One of the best ways to cultivate mindfulness is to reflect honestly on your own life and see the patterns that show up in your relationships with others and the world.

When you can truly examine your actions and reactions and discover why you do the things you do, you can offer yourself compassion and kindness.

In this exercise, we are going to explore the patterns that arise in the mind. You are going to notice when you are being judgmental of others, and when you are making excuses for your own actions.

Close the eyes and find a comfortable posture in which to sit. Bring your attention to the sensation of the body breathing.

Begin with a single breath, just taking in and out for a couple of moments.

Bring your attention to the mind and notice the thoughts that come and go. What do you notice?

Begin by acknowledging that you notice the thoughts coming into your mind. Then look for the thoughts that you tend to judge yourself for.

Ask yourself if you are judging yourself or somebody else. If you notice yourself judging, notice how you feel. Does it make you feel warm and good inside, or does it leave you feeling small and bad?

Next, notice the thoughts that you use to make excuses. For example, you may blame yourself for not having more money, or for not having enough time, or for not looking attractive.

Ask yourself if you are blaming yourself for something that is really outside of your control.

Then ask yourself if there are any other thoughts that you can identify that you are likely to make excuses for.

These thoughts can include:

“I’m just not that smart.”

“I’m not attractive.”

“Everybody makes mistakes.”

If you notice these thoughts, take a moment to notice the emotions that they bring up for you. Are you angry, sad, or ashamed?

After a few breaths, return to noticing the breath, and notice what thoughts arise.

Look at the thoughts you noticed. Do you agree with them, or do you notice that they aren’t true?

If you think, “I am always criticizing myself,” is that really true? Or could you notice that there are other, more useful ways to think about your own actions?

Ask yourself: How can I be more aware of these judgments? How can I be more honest with myself about how I am feeling?

Ask yourself: Can I learn to notice the times when I judge myself?

Finally, return to the breath, and notice how you feel after taking these steps.

You can begin this practice with any thought that you notice in your mind.

Self-reflection for growth and healing script 3

Reflecting on yourself can be hard. You may struggle to find the right words to describe your experience.

But when you look within, you can start to see how your actions impact yourself and others.

In this meditation, you will ask yourself questions about your experience that are hard to answer. You may not get all the answers you want. But doing the practice of self-reflection offers a way to start to look inward.

Start with the body. How do you feel physically? Is there something that is bothering you?

Close your eyes and notice if there is any discomfort. Let the body move as it needs to.

Now look at the mind. What thoughts are coming to mind? What emotions are arising?

Take a few moments to notice any thoughts. Don’t push them away; just notice them. See if there is any emotion connected to these thoughts.

As the mind settles, notice how the breath moves. What does that feeling feel like?

Finally, bring your attention to the senses. What is there in the environment that you can taste or hear? Notice any sounds.

Ask yourself these questions:

• How do I feel physically?

• What is going on in my mind?

• What emotions arise?

• What is there to smell and taste?

• What is there to hear?

• What is there to feel?

After a few minutes, take some time to relax and breathe deeply.

Open your eyes and record any insights you gain from your experience.

Click here to get back to the list of self-compassion meditation scripts

 You may also find this practical guide useful:

How to achieve personal growth even when you hate yourself

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