Reflect for your mental health
Source: https://life.uq.edu.au/article/2025/03/reflect-your-mental-health Parent: https://life.uq.edu.au/article/2025/09/golden-moments-celebrating-uq%E2%80%99s-mentors-and-volunteers
31 March 2025
(3-4 minute read)
Take some time to reflect
It has been a busy semester so far, with lots of new material, some challenges, and hopefully a lot of successes. Boost Month (7 April - 2 May) is the perfect time to stop for a moment and reflect on your semester, taking note of the small (and big) wins, and working out your goals moving forward.
Why is self-reflection important?
Reflecting is a key skill for learning. It can be easy to fall into a routine which may not be effective or efficient simply out of habit. Pausing to think about your progress and skills in a positive way can help you to recognise what is working well, and what might need to change. It can seem really odd (and even a bit selfish) to spend dedicated time thinking about yourself, but the capacity to reflect, review and evaluate is essential in both your professional and personal life.
Take some time and ask yourself:
- What have I achieved this semester? What new skills have I learnt? What am I most proud of?
- What are my strengths? What do people always say I am good at?
- What problems have I encountered this semester? How have they affected me? What could I change/do differently?
- What do I enjoy doing? What makes me happy?
- What interests me? What am I passionate about?
- How am I caring for myself?
Where do I start?
Sometimes it can feel a little bit overwhelming to know where to begin, but a great way to start reflecting is to start a gratitude journal.
There is no “right” or “wrong” way to start a gratitude journal, but if you need some ideas you can ask yourself:
- How much time do you have? Keep it short with bullet points and aim for one or two statements a day. If you want to spend more time on it, set aside some time each week to reflect on your week in more detail. Don’t just list the who or the what, but also think about why you are grateful.
- When? Try to keep this one consistent to help you build the habit. Before bed or on your commute – what will work for you? Set a reminder or alarm on your phone so you don’t forget.
- Where will you record your notes? Digital or old-school notebook, think about what will be easiest for you (and also keep you motivated).
- Try a few different approaches to see what works for you. Be specific, and keep an eye out for recurring themes, people, places or things – these are your happy place.
We've put together a few prompts to get you started!
- Write down 3 things that you achieved today, no matter how big or small
- Who is someone that helped you today? (Think about letting them know, too!)
- What 3 personality traits, skills or abilities are you most grateful for?
- Think about a challenging situation or person that you have encountered – what have you learned from them?
- What is your favourite time of the day and why?
- What 5 things make your life easier each day?
- What are you looking forward to this week?
- What self-care have you participated in today?
- What is a routine or habit that you have enjoyed today?
Where to from here?
Once you have an understanding of your skills and achievements and have identified any potential barriers, it’s time to think about setting some goals and making some changes. Don’t be afraid to start small and seek advice or adapt as needed.
Check out the Boost Month program to see the full range of workshops and activities designed to help you recharge, stay motivated and take care of your wellbeing.
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