WHAT IS INTROSPECTION
As you move through the course, I want you to practice the skill of “introspection.” This word means to “look inward.” When you take time to reflect on yourself, you get clarity about what you believe, what you think, and how you feel. Introspection often highlights areas that you don’t actually know about yourself – these are important to explore.
Looking inward helps us to identify things like:
- What we believe and why
- Our fears
- Our hopes and goals
- Our expectations – wishes and preferences
- Our motivation and desires
In order to have healthy communication, it is crucial to be self-aware so you can accurately convey your meaning to your partner. Introspection to improve self-awareness does not come naturally to everyone, but it is a skill that can be learned with practice. Throughout this course, I will remind you to practice introspection.
LET’S START NOW
When you think about the conflict in your relationship, you are likely very aware of what you believe your partner is doing wrong and how your partner is contributing to the problem. Let’s stop to reflect on what you believe about your relationship conflict.
