Reflecting on the Past Can Be a Good Thing

I tend to be one who thinks we need to keep moving forward. The past belongs in the past. Keep it in the rearview mirror. However, there are times when it is one hundred percent necessary to reflect and to learn from what life wants to teach us. Reflection gives us the information we need to celebrate all of the progress we have made and remind us just how far we have come. It is easy to wish we were further ahead or wish the overwhelming times would pass by quicker. There are times when we just want to be finished with “this part.” We have all been there. We will likely be there again because tough stuff stinks and who in the world wants to stay stuck in it?

When painful situations or lessons obstruct our path, we must learn and grow from the experience. I often refer to the atrophied muscle I see on my bicep that was once firm and defined and now looks sad and weak from underuse. The more I use it and push it through tough workouts, the stronger it becomes, and it doesn’t take too long because it was once strong and sturdy, so there is muscle memory to bounce it back. I need to put forth the effort. I need to push myself out of my comfort zone and challenge myself to make it stronger. The strength is within me; I simply need to remember it is there and wake it up!

So we reflect on the excruciating parts, on the elements that made us use our muscles, on the wisdom we have gained throughout this season, and we celebrate. We give ourselves the acknowledgment we deserve because we are progressing. And that is worth reflection.