Episode 53: Three Ways to Inspire Reflection

When we pause to reflect AND when we reflect with others, we embed that learning more deeply into our heart and soul. In this episode I invite you to join me in 3 different ways to engage questions to leverage reflection to become the leader we were meant to be. 

Highlights and Lowlights

My 11-year-old daughter’s favorite conversation at the dinner table is to ask the questions: “What’s the best part of your day?” and “What’s the worst part of your day?” And then we each have to go around and answer. 

Both lenses of the highs and lows give us the opportunity to notice what has happened . . . but reflection is actually more than that because while we want to notice what happened, we also want to ask why it was significant and what meaning you are assigning to that experience. 

Two new ventures pushed me to grow this last year. My initial reflection is that I don’t like uncertainty. I learned something in that space of uncertainty, though. I found my courage because of the supportive people around me cheering me on and challenging my thinking. 

Lesson Learned: Time I spend investing in my support network is well worth it!

Summary Reflections

Putting it together into a memorable nugget helps me to remember things. It also reminds me of some of those old testament stories where God did something significant and the children of Israel named the place with a “bottom line” sort of word that described the experience so they would remember what God had done. 

Coming up with one word was kind of a killer for me. Just one? I can’t do that. So, I didn’t. Instead, I popcorned out a list of words. Things came to mind for me like, partnerships; influence; bold, trying new things; energized; recharged. 

Energized jumped off the page for me. Things have happened that cost me energy in the last year. And other activities have energized me. 

Lesson Learned: Energy needs to be managed if we want to lead well.  

Growth Reflections

Expanding on the lens of what happened or what is happening in our external world, I also like questions about what’s happening on the inside of us.

Some of the questions I reflected on with my mentor in our discussion last week were: What character trait did you develop most over the past year? What character trait did you rely on the most in the last year? How did you take care of yourself this year?

The character trait that I worked on and relied on in the last year was learning to let go of the outcomes. Some things are mine to do and other things are God’s job or someone else’s job. 

Lesson Learned: Challenge myself to let go of the outcomes and do my part to the best of my ability. 

As I invest in my support network, and manage my energy, and let go of outcomes, I also need those moments of holy uselessness I talked about in Episode 28. I challenge you to interject an intentional pause regularly in 2023 to reflect and leverage your learning with others! 

Links to Check Out:

• Send your question HERE – in writing or by recording
• Episode 52: Living a Mentored Life
• Episode 28: What is a Moment of Holy Uselessness?
• Episode 47: Leading From Your Center
• Episode 49: Recovering Confidence After a Tough Season
• Blog: Let Your Values Be Your Guide
• Learn more about Annie; Email Annie