We're in the season of looking inward,
Or reflecting on our behavior and improving ourselves.
It might seem daunting.
How does it work?
And what's the difference between our self-reflection on Rosh Hashanah and the process of mending our ways on Yom Kippur?
Rav Akiva Tatz explains,
Rosh Hashanah is the day that we work on who we are,
Or what we have become,
And the essence of ourselves.
We reflect more on our basic character rather than individual things that we've done.
Yom Kippur is the day that we get into the details of our specific behaviors.
So Rosh Hashanah is like the macro soul-searching,
And Yom Kippur is like the micro soul-searching.
Rosh Hashanah is also the birthday of the world,
And a day of great joy and celebration.
We try to elevate ourselves above the details and focus on the bigger picture.
It's a lot of self-reflection.
Mindfulness can help us since it's a practice that encourages self-reflection in a kind and non-judgmental way.
And this season is a fitting time to deepen your mindfulness practice.
Here are some ways that mindfulness can help us in our introspection this holiday season.
First of all,
Take a moment and literally stop.
Notice thoughts and feelings that arise.
And notice right before you're about to act or react,
Or after you make a mistake.
And then observe and ask the following.
What stories are we telling ourselves about our behavior?
Are we sure our stories are accurate or true?
Or are they stories that we automatically repeat to ourselves?
What can we learn about ourselves from this situation?
We can take a moment before we move on to the next thing that we want to do and ask ourselves how we want to proceed.
How do we want to react the next time that we're in this situation?
Don't shy away from understanding your mistakes.
Instead,
Try to be curious about what went wrong.
Noticing our thoughts in a non-judgmental way can help us gain insight and react differently the next time we're in the same situation.
Here are some ways mindfulness can help us to approach our mistakes with kindness and self-compassion.
Try saying the following.
Mistakes are natural and human.
I'm not alone.
I don't have to be hard on myself for this mistake.
I can try to do better the next time.
What would I say to a friend who made a mistake?
Noticing my own imperfections can help me to be kind to others when I notice that they're also not perfect.
When we notice and pay attention to our mistakes in a kinder way,
They can become opportunities to learn about ourselves.
This can lead to greater emotional intelligence,
Improved communication skills,
Better relationships,
And healthier decision-making.
What shortcomings would you like to work on this year?
Shana Tova and thanks for listening.
