Psychological research points out that going through complicated or adverse experiences, such as death, divorce, health crises or unemployment, can add meaning to life.
By reflecting on negative experiences, people can find greater meaning in their lives and develop a clearer sense of themselves. The ability to be self-reflective can also promote the development of wisdom.
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Enhancing resilience in the face of stressful and adverse situations
Through a model of systematic self-reflection, researchers at Macquarie University in Australia found that it strengthens resilience in the face of life's adversities. Exposure to stressors triggers this reflection, increasing the ability to evaluate strategies problem-solving, task-oriented coping, and resistant beliefs about self same.
Reflecting on your own thoughts, feelings and behaviors is an effective way to build resilience. to adversities, since it allows evaluating the approach to face them and the best strategies to solve problems.
Creating a deeper understanding of yourself
A study carried out by Oregon State University, in the United States, was carried out with adults between 56 and 91 years old, with the aim of understanding how wisdom is developed in moments of adversity.
Most study participants reported that the difficult experiences they focused on affected their core beliefs and understanding of the world. According to researchers, people react to difficult life events in three different ways:
- Accepting the event;
- Identifying a specific value or belief;
- Reflecting on themselves and their core beliefs.
Of those interviewed, 13 people simply accepted the event, without questioning the meaning of their lives. 5 participants were able to clarify a specific value or belief that had not been identified before. For most participants (32), the difficult event led to reflections on themselves, core beliefs and understanding of the world, challenging their previous perspectives.
Research suggests that self-reflection in the face of difficult life events can yield positive results, especially when done with a “What Not Why” approach. Asking “Why did this happen?” it may not be effective as it may result in superficial responses and negative emotions, leaving the person stuck in the past. Instead, the “What Not Why” approach allows for a broader and more constructive assessment of the situation, without assigning external blame and promoting personal development.
Self-reflection can be achieved by asking “What?” questions. Questions such as “What is going on?”, “What am I feeling?”, “What would be a workaround for have faced this situation?” and “What can I do so that I didn’t get hurt so badly?” are examples from that.
These questions lead to positive self-reflection that can help us deal with the situation and get to know ourselves better.
