When we hear the word “reflection” we think of how we look in the mirror. We look at ourselves to make sure our outfit looks good, our hair is tight, and our teeth are clean. While this type of reflection is good, I am talking about looking at ourselves in a different way…not in a mirror, but in our minds.
You look in a mirror to make sure you are presentable and in the best condition to go out into the world. But when was the last time you looked into your mind to see if you were mentally ready to go out into the world? Are you happy? Are you sad? When you lay in bed at night, do you ask yourself the right questions to make sure you are ready for the next day? What do you learn about yourself each day???
What’s The Point?
We can learn a lot about ourselves by what people tell us, but we can learn even more about ourselves by what we tell ourselves. And what we tell ourselves is based upon the questions we ask ourselves. By asking ourselves the right questions, we can reflect on the day and provide the answers that can give us insight into how to be happier or better. If we are not happy, we can learn to be happy. All we have to do is take some time to reflect upon each day and ask the right questions.
What Questions Should You Ask Yourself???
There are many questions you can ask yourself to help you learn how to be happier. The best time to ask yourself these questions is when you are in bed at night and your day is just about over. You can write these questions and answers down in a journal, or simply remember them each night and answer them as you are going to sleep. Regardless of which approach you take, asking these questions can provide some great insight into where you are and what you can do to be happier:
1. What made me happy today?
Ask yourself this question to identify the things that brought you joy that day. It could be the hour you spent with your kid, the progress you made on a project, or even the 90 minutes you spent watching a movie with a friend. Identify what made you happy today and plan to do those things regularly.
2. What made me sad today?
It can be tough to think about the sad things, but it can be good in helping you avoid them in the future. If certain people or activities just made you unhappy, then try to spend less time seeing those people or doing those things. No, I’m not saying that if you were sad working today then you should stop working. What I am saying is that if you identified work as making you sad, maybe you need to consider another line of work or a different place to work to be happier.
3. Did I hurt anyone today?
Ask yourself if you hurt anyone today? Did you let anyone down or hurt anyone’s feelings? We can’t be happy if we regularly hurt people. Think about the people you interacted with today and how your conversations went. Were they good or bad? If they were bad, maybe you want to reach out to that person in the morning to make it right.
4. Did I make someone happy today?
Yes…you can be happy by making someone else happy. Try to go out of your way and do something for someone each day. You could do something for someone you know or a complete stranger. Perhaps you could put a special note in your spouse’s lunch box today, or buy coffee for the person behind you in the drive thru. Either way, plan to do something nice for someone every day, and you will make yourself happier.
Final Thoughts
We can learn a lot about what makes us happy and what makes us sad by simply taking 5 minutes each night and reflecting on our day. Identify the things that brought you joy and try to do them regularly. Identify the things that made you a bit sad and try to avoid or change them going forward.
Though these four questions are not exhaustive of all the questions you could ask yourself to reflect on your day for happiness, they are a good start. Start with them and as you use them, you can add to the list or substitute questions that resonate more with you.
It is on you to be happy and identify what brings you joy. Reflect on your day and make sure you ask yourself the right questions!!!