Habits: Reflective Practice

I just watched a TedTalk video that was recorded in 2015. Robert Waldinger’s “What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness” was intriguing. I am not alone thinking it was cool as the video currently has nearly 50 million views. 

Waldinger explained that Harvard began a longitudinal study in the 1930’s and followed more than 200 men – about half were Harvard students and the others were boys from some of the roughest neighborhoods with many struggles in life. The study pursued the question of what makes people happy. More than 75 years of data revealed that healthy relationships are a better barometer of happiness than status or jobs or fame or money or any of the other things that many people chase. Waldinger stated that the researchers collected data from the participants every two years – including medical records as well as self-evaluations and anecdotal records. The men – and later their wives – were also interviewed. 

It was fascinating, but it made me wonder. Does the fact that the participants were prompted to self-evaluate every two years create more reflective individuals who then elected to alter their lives to create more happiness? Did the mere fact that they participated make them inherently more prone to finding happiness? If many people move through life on autopilot allowing events and interactions to merely wash over them – neither living intentionally nor working to change themselves along the journey of life, then would the sheer requirement of ranking satisfaction in different components of life cause a person to potentially work to change those that were deemed unsatisfactory? 

I think this was on my mind because I took a few moments to reflect before an event today and it was significant. I participated in a program about 5 ½ years ago for several months. It was intensive and many other participants remain connected as alumni. The program offers alumni opportunities throughout the year to reconnect with each other and the staff. Yesterday was the first time I participated in an alumni event in about a year. While I was preparing to leave, I stopped to consider who might be there too. That pause forced me to consider what has changed in my life since I was last involved with any of these people. I also reflected on what things were like for me when I initially participated in the program. What did I talk about then? What was I concerned about then? How are things different now? Wow – what a moment for me. That reflection highlighted how dramatically different my life has changed in the past few years. I spent my morning considering what factors have brought about those changes. I stopped Darrell as I was leaving and thanked him for being part of all these changes along with me. Without his support and encouragement, I know I would still be stuck. I would still be walking through life on autopilot. I would still be the old me. And all that made me incredibly grateful and excited to mark the growth.

So, when I heard Waldinger reporting about the Harvard study, it piqued my interest in whether the mere act of reflecting caused changes to behaviors and perspectives. I wonder if I were a part of a similar study and I was asked every two years to stop and consider my satisfaction with my job, my marriage, my relationships, and my health (among other things), would the process alone prompt me to consider changes that I might not otherwise think about? 

Knowing what I know about reflective practice in education, I think it might be a yes. The basic premise of reflective practice is that we should stop and evaluate performance, outcomes, goals and achievements. In many circles, the ideal practice is to write a reflective response regularly (daily or weekly) to capture more than just a checklist of goal attainment. 

I have been a reflective teacher for many years. I think the act of pausing to consider what is going well and where changes might be worth exploring has improved my performance. I think reflection allows us to see things differently. Likewise, I think that being reminded regularly to consider what creates deep satisfaction would prompt most people to lean into it. I think if reflection highlighted the negative aspects in our lives, most of us would make some changes. 

I think everyone benefits when we are reflective individuals. I know that good intentions are often thwarted by busy schedules, long hours, and endless tasks. While I have not written consistently throughout my career, I have kept notes and used a variety of lists to track student performance, curriculum standards, goal attainment, and personal achievements. In my personal life, I haven’t reflected much until recently. I think I missed out on something significant when I didn’t transfer that habit. I think I missed the opportunity to evaluate what works and what needs to be adapted in my personal life. Moving forward, I will continue scheduling time to take inventory of both recent events and the shifts and changes that have transpired over time.

I encourage everyone to find some way to incorporate reflective practice into your repertoire of habits. Perhaps you elect to include it as part of your New Years Resolution. Others might find it helpful to pause regularly to note growth, areas needing some attention, and general satisfaction in life. While many will not be interested in writing about it, I know that all of us benefit from taking inventory and evaluating what is working and what isn’t. I aspire to grow the best version of me. So, we should all keep in mind John Maxwell’s maxim that “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.”