· a good way to process your thoughts
· a way to identify and develop your personal strengths
· an easy way to work on improving your written communication skills
· an effective way of setting achievable goals
· a great way to document your achievements over time
· avoid only describing what has happened or what you did. Think about what went well, what could be improved, what you might do differently next time
· be honest. You are in control of your writing and only you can reflect on your personal experiences. This is about what you have experienced and how this can shape you in the future.
· try to jot things down when they are fresh in your mind. Even if you aren’t in a reflective writing mood, you might want to revisit something later.
Use these pointers as a guide for your weekly reflection. It is more than okay to write about topics that are not covered here.
· How is my day going so far?
o What have I already done? Had an awesome breakfast, gone for a walk, checked my social media etc.
· What was the most memorable part of my week?
o This might have been; cooking a favourite dish, taking my dog for a walk, doing some gardening, catching up with friends online, playing board games, doing online yoga, completing a workout etc.
· What is something new that I have learnt?
o This might be; something you have done online in class, something about yourself, something about your family, a new life skill (cooking, cleaning, handy work), etc.
· What or who am I especially grateful for this past week?
o This could be something small that I have never noticed before such as; a food or particular meal, comfy spot to lay around, a favourite space in the yard/home, TV show/film that makes me happy, conversations with my family/friends, time to look after myself, etc.
· Something I have done for someone else this week
o I should reflect on something that I am not expected to do like chores around the house. I should think about something I have done to support someone else. This could be something small like writing a letter to a family member, offering to take the neighbours dog for a walk, etc.
· I would like to start/continue…
o I should reflect on what I want to achieve, what I already do that I enjoy, something I have always wanted to do but never found the time, an activity that I could engage in with the people around me.
Absolutely! Try to sit in different spaces (outside in the sunshine would be cool) and think about how you would like to engage in reflective writing. You could:
· Write traditionally - by responding to each pointer
· Draw little pictures/doodles/emoji's alongside your writing for creativity
· Use dot points to help you process your thoughts
· Create a reflective mind map
