Introspection is defined by "Merriam Webster" as "a reflective looking inward, an examination of one's own thoughts and feelings." In philosophical terms, it is to look within yourself and not outside. It’s not very intuitive at first but when a person actually starts to look for solutions to problems by considering the internal, rather than external consequences, the problem is often easier to solve than it initially seems.
The main question that needs to be answered is whether introspection really matters in day-to-day life. Is it just a big word that has no relevance to our lifestyles? We can try to decipher its true meaning by looking at different situations. Have you ever been angry at your supervisors at work because they said you didn’t work hard enough or that you didn’t possess the necessary intellectual capacity required to perform well? It happens to nearly everyone. Instead of being angry at your superior, consider what went wrong. It will do you more good in the long-run and would you save you the mental energy required to dwell on how mean or unfair your boss is. Obviously, you might think that you did everything correctly and find yourself stuck in the same situation. It sucks. I can understand. Clear communication of expectations between you and your superior becomes crucial.
It is easy to become irrational and take out our anger out on other people because of our own persisting issues. For example, picture this. You return home after a rough day and the moment you enter, you see your kid drawing on the wall. Instead of telling him/her why it is wrong, you let your anger get the best of you and shout. He/she becomes so intimated and shies away from you for the whole evening. Did your child deserve to be yelled at? Or was it just your nasty mood coming forth? Introspection can help here. Recognize that you are merely projecting your own anger on someone else. If you continue to stew on the problem, you will spend the whole evening ranting about how your wall was ruined instead getting to the root of the problems that compelled you to shout in the first place.
But, there's a catch. You can only place so much blame on yourself for what happens around you. There is an article that sheds light on this issue and instructs as to when to limit your degree of introspection. If you continue to blame yourself for everything that happens to you, life becomes more complicated than ever before. Finding you, your mistakes and your shortcomings as the causes of everything wrong in your life is unhealthy and unrealistic. Give yourself a break.
So now you might be thinking, "So, what do I do?" Do I look inward? Obviously, you should. But you shouldn't be the villain of your own story. Introspection should be practiced rationally. It’s all about finding the right balance. To find this balance in life, you might find introspection to be a big help. You may find yourself enjoying life more than ever before.
