Let’s move and look at the unique benefits of self-reflection. As you already learned, self-reflection is going to help you become more aware of your own motivations and influences, which is what is going to help you on your self-improvement journey.

Here are some different benefits of first becoming more self-aware before you move on with your journey to personal growth and enlightenment.

You Can Find and Reduce Negative Patterns

The first reason self-reflection can help  is because it helps you to find your own negative patterns. Everyone has them, so don’t let them get you down. The important thing here is to identify them so you can work on changing these patterns.

Negative patterns can be everything from unhealthy lifestyle habits related to lack of physical activity, addictions, or poor diet choices, to getting involved in toxic relationships. You want to think about every facet of your life, including your professional and personal life, to figure out what these patterns are.

It Allows You to Define Your Goals

Thinking of your short-term and long-term goals is not as easy as it might seem. The first thing you need to do is figure out what your dreams are, which are often entwined with your goals. Allow yourself to think outside the box and get a little unrealistic first. This helps because you are able to not only see what your goals are, but through this process, you discover things you never knew you wanted to achieve.

Once you have selected your short-term and long-term goals, you can then work on a realistic approach to achieving them.

Find Good and Bad Influences

There are good and bad influences in everyone’s life, but people don’t often realize them right away. It is possible that your lack of personal growth is not from you, but from being surrounded with people who aren’t necessarily supportive of your goals for success.

Is there someone in your life who never lets you discuss where you want to be, makes you feel unworthy, or is more subtle where they just avoid the conversation altogether? These are signs that they are not going to be supportive, therefore they become a bad influence.

On the other hand, you should also focus on people or things that are good influences in your life. These are people who make you feel motivated and inspired.

Face Your Fears or Anxieties

Lastly, self-reflection can help you discover your different fears, anxieties, and insecurities. These might also be keeping you from self-improvement in the way you want or need it. Perhaps you have a fear of success, or through self-awareness questions, you find out that your anxiety is keeping you from really putting yourself out there. There is a lot you can discover just by asking yourself a few questions.