Reflective practice (is hard)

During our monthly call we were introduced to the Reflective Practice exercises. All sounded fantastic and will be a really useful tool as we learn and grow as leaders. 

Seemed easy - buy a new journal and a pen then write or draw your first entry!

​Definitely not as easy as it sounded... At least for me!

I've never written a diary or journal or anything, so this was an entirely new experience for me. I've welcomed it with open arms - but have really struggled.

Reflective practice is meant to provide insights into self-awareness – what you do (behaviours), why you do it (values, assumptions, aspirations), how you feel (emotions) and how you think. So it is a way of studying your own experiences to improve the way you work across a number of different dimensions, personally and professionally. 

The point of reflection is not an evaluation - it's just meant to flow when your mind roams free. 

I think that's the hardest part for me. Being a scientist and always critically evaluating research, it's hard not to also do that with your own thoughts. 

Luckily we were given some starter questions from ​Kate MacMaster, who was introducing these concepts to us:

• Why did you apply for Homeward Bound, and why now?
• What did you feel when you were accepted into the Program?
• How are you managing those feelings for yourself and those around you?
• What are your challenges in these first few months and what hep do you think you might need along the way?
• What are your expectations of the program? How will you manage these through the year?
• What are your thoughts on women in leadership and STEM? The major challenges women face? What is leadership? …..

After a month of agonising over what my first entry would be, and worrying about 'ruining' my nice new journal, I finally made my first entry.

I wrote "Just Start. Trust the journey".

Maybe not what it should have been, but it's a start... and hopefully the start of many more entries to come. I think I'll try and get back to Kate's questions....

​- Steph XO

P.S Update on the journal July 2018 - Still no further entries - but maybe this Blog is my reflective practice....?!