Michael Jackson got it right when he said to start in the mirror if we want to make the world a better place.

Reflection is so, so, so important to bettering anything. In high school, I attended several conferences that stressed the importance of reflecting and using that reflection to help build our future. Christmas is a time when we tend to reflect on years past; whether we are remembering Christmas celebrations with loved ones or that night in Bethlehem, we tend to reflect at certain parts of the year.

What if we made reflection part of our daily lives? I had a unique experience where I was encouraged to reflect after events and even hourly on some days. It forced me to grow and become a better person throughout the experience, and now I make a habit out of it.

In the spirit of the new year and people making resolutions, I encourage you to make reflection a regular part of your life. This doesn’t mean that you have to play instrumental music or write by candlelight each night (although this is pretty cool to do once in awhile)! Take ten minutes after a presentation, conversation, test, meeting, or when you get off of work to ask yourself how it went and how you can improve. Write down your thoughts or tell them to someone who will hold you accountable. Chart your progress and then reflect on how far you go from the start of your reflection!

There’s been a lot of hype around making the world a better place. Start with yourself and see what happens this year.