Times of transition and adjustment can also be times to rethink and reinvent. Positive change starts with valuing our own selves and wanting something better. Positive goals help us shift our attention back to ourselves. Now is a great time to contemplate, imagine, and plan what kind of future you’d like to see.

As the pandemic marches on, and our work and play remain restricted, Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is likely darkening the outlook for some of us within the University of Iowa community.

The practice of self-reflection is our ability to “turn our attention inward to consider our own thoughts, memories, feelings, and actions.” (Philippi & Koenigs, 2014, p. 56) It is a productive evaluation of what is working in your life and what is not, what emotions you are experiencing, and what physical sensations you have in response to memories, thoughts, and emotions. Self-reflective practice uses an “observer stance,” through the use of curiosity and self-compassion, taking a non-judgmental perspective toward yourself.