As always I’m intrigued by the meaning behind the language that we use. Language is, of course, a way of communicating, but what we communicate can often not be interpreted or received in the way it was intended. Misunderstandings can occur and sometimes even fractured relationships as a consequence, and that’s an outcome worthy of some reflection. Do we take time to reflect on what happened and seek to truly understand or do we just give the misunderstanding it’s meaning? How do we know that the meaning that we’ve given the misunderstanding is accurate? Is it because of the way it made us feel? How do we know if the way we felt is really a result of the misunderstanding and not coloured by our past experiences? That is why reflection is such an important skill to master. It gives us that moment to pause and relook at what transpired.

“taking the time to think about, meditate on, evaluate, and give serious thought to your behaviours, thoughts, attitudes, motivations, and desires“

Honest reflection is a good place to start and it requires the courage to be honest with yourself, and I don’t mean in terms of just asserting your position, I’m talking about being transparent to you and your thoughts & feelings when you have an interaction with someone else who “triggered” you. Was it what they said or what is what it meant to you? I think using the word “triggered” these days, in many scenarios, can potentially remove the responsibility from an individual to respond in a mature manner in certain circumstances. As a Therapeutic Life Coach I support those who have experienced deep and significant trauma and being “triggered” is a very real and doubly traumatic experience for them as they relive the past experience.

We need to take the time to reflect on our behaviour and reactions to ensure that we are growing and maturing into people that can be trusted with the hearts and lives of those who, on this journey, are assigned to us. So, as we complete this 6 weeks of lent, let’s take some honest time to reflect on who we are and how we show up in the world. With kindness and understanding of self. We can often think that no-one truly see’s us, but they do!! Let’s ensure that what they see is truly who we believe we are.

Love & blessings,

Samantha xx