Umar bin Abdul Aziz
“Until you close your eyes, you can’t feel the pain deep inside”
If self introspect was an animal or other any specie, it would be on the top list of endangered species list. Modern technology has made us so much busy in this world that we forget ourselves. We can’t hide the reality that we are living in a World of increased digital disturbance. It is almost impossible these days to get a moment or couple of hours to introspect or reflect on ourselves. The omnipresence of our digital devices keeps us engage with Calls, What’s app, Facebook, Mails, Games or Notifications, no matter where we are in our day to day life. The time for morning walk or evening walk, waiting for bus at passenger stop, driving a vehicle, eating in restaurants, spending time with family or children or friend’s and sitting near to a bench- all these quite moments don’t seem to belong us anymore.
Self introspection: A talk to with self is analysis of oneself and a tool for self discovers self awareness and self development. It is one of the key techniques to examine one’s consciousness and is not an overnight achievement or a “Magical Trick” but is a long term process. It is a mechanism to scrutinize our inner feeling by going inward, which help us to seek a solution to our own problems if done wisely and perfectly. It is examination of one’s soul and mental to reach the highest state. Modern World has made us successful, experienced and tackled to adjust but for only external world or environment. We are well educated and well versed by the fingers point out but from a school aged children to an older man, we are low in charge of internal world. We have engaged our life such that we can’t bear even small problems of life. Successful is one who finds a problem, accept it and try to find its solution. But we have mingled our life in competition, comparison and show off that being a billionaire proves to be failed and losing his/her life. It is need of hour, to pause for a moment, develop insight in ourselves, master our own self, uncover ourselves and to bridle or control on own self/actions. Soul digging is must to ward off the psychopathy’s as we are the most stressed generation who grew up more with conflict situation, tortures, advertisement rather than learning by books, teachers parents or mentors. Laa Tzu said, “Knowing others is Intelligence, Knowing yourself is true wisdom, Mastering others is strength, Mastering yourself is true power, If you realize that you have enough, you are truly rich.” Scientifically, on an average day more than 50,000 thoughts are floating in our mind and out of this more than 90% thought is repetitive and are attributed to be consuming our minds space with bad, unpleasant and crappy stuffs. 50% of thought content comes out to be negative in nature, which has no real base but are consuming energy of mind in wrong direction thereby hampering or distracting our ability to think with clarity and positively.
We have the capabilities to do excellent; just we need right perception to see this life as a beautiful medium to express our potential.
So if we truly want to get rid of these unwanted thoughts and grow up physically spiritually and mentally we need to manage some time for self introspect. Self introspection enhances our ability to understand ourselves and our motivation. It helps us to learn more about our own values. It makes us strong to mold the power from distractions of modern digital life and bring our focus back where it belongs. Introspection increases the productivity level and makes us feel what to focus and where to light the candle of energy of our mind and soul. It increases our ability to exercise control over own emotion’s by reducing stress and anxiety and providing a greater sense of well being. Through it we become less likely to veer off track when difficult emotions surface. Instead of doing something we later regret, we be better equipped to ride our emotional troughs. Self introspect helps us to press the Refresh Button of our life and starts purifying our thought process. It makes a balance in our daily life and helps us to focus on challenges of life. The actual meaning of life can be achieved only by self introspection and self observation. Facing the problem and accepting it with positive behavior is a mere result achieved only after introspection. The main issue for me is when to introspect? It is hard to explain and understand, rather I can said self introspection can lead to more stress and depression if not taken or started on time with balance. It is crucial to do this with right approach, right time and right methodology. When it leads to the level of obsessiveness instead of dedication, think it is too far and end up feeling more stressed, anxious and worried than ever. So it is important to start introspecting with balance and don’t overdo it to such a level where we will surrendered and start punishing and harming ourselves. Remember while introspecting, we are human’s and are made to engage in this real World, so failure is a way for correction and learn from own endeavour and grow out of all challenges of life which is not in our control fully. During introspection, the first response of our body towards any problem, emotion or situation is “WHY”. On the surface it makes sense but it can lead to misery. When we ask why our mind points towards the most obvious answer. We want answer in such a way that it confirms our pre-existing beliefs. We tend to turn answer that feels true and comfortable at the moment. Unfortunately, these easy answers and solutions are frequently dead wrong. Why questions can cause us more obsess over our problems. They lead to greater anxiety and symptoms of depression. So instead of asking why question, we need to ask those questions that will help us to focus on solution or goals. Avoid asking yourself a problem centered questions. Frame those questions which lead us to a goal and permanent solution. Solution centered Questions have two main benefits:
• It reveals potential answers
• It increases our confidence and help us to boost our ability for solving future dilemmas.
Following are some questions to be asked while introspecting:
°Am I using my time wisely?
°Am I true to myself?
°Am I waking up in morning to take on the day?
°Am I putting enough efforts into my relationships?
°Am I caring myself physically and spiritually?
°Am I achieving the goals which I set?
°Am I thinking negative thoughts?
°Am I assessing my whole day before sleeping?
At last I would say, do whatever you want to do with your life, but don’t be burden for yourself and your loved ones. If something is not right internally, speak about it, go inwards and share your feelings either with parents or peer groups, so that you don’t end up messing your valuable life for nothing. We have the capabilities to do excellent; just we need right perception to see this life as a beautiful medium to express our potential. We should explore it, do wonderful things and never settle down. We should be happy for what we have and try to utilize it with full potential to create something meaningful and wonderful.
(Writer is a student of B.Sc Nursing at RGCN Jammu. Views are his own)[email protected]