Introspection: How To Reclaim Self Reflection In a Digital World

If self reflection was an animal, it would be on the endangered species list. There is no question that we are living in a world of increased digital distraction. It’s almost impossible these days to get a moment for yourself to reflect. The omnipresence of our digital devices keeps us busy with incoming calls, texts, emails, and notifications — no matter where we are. We could be taking a walk in the park, waiting for the train, or driving to the beach—these quiet moments don’t seem to belong to us anymore.
This page has my best articles on how to take back these moments. I provide practical techniques based on the newest scientific discoveries.
Confucius said it best: “By three methods we may learn wisdom: first, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.”
So, if you are striving for wisdom in the noblest way, self reflection is key. To take control of your life, happiness, and success, you must understand how you “tick.” Are there certain situations at work that leave you feeling stressed while others aren’t? Do you have difficulty talking about certain topics with family members? Why is that? Taking the time for self reflection is for many people the first step to understanding and overcoming long-held misconceptions and limitations.
Taking action is important, but there’s power in stillness. When we hold a mirror to our thoughts what do we see? We visualize more possibilities. We are able to envision relationships between events and ideas that help us connect the dots. We also gain insights that help us live up to our potential.
Whether you want to improve things at work, at home, or with friends, this page contains everything you need to know about how spending time looking inward can change your life. All articles discuss introspection and self reflection strategies that you can use today. Explore below and learn how to live your best life.
(Photo by Richard Clyborne of Music Strive)
Top Articles on Introspection
When Do You Feel Most Creative? Why Ideas Bloom at Bedtime
32 Morning Affirmations: Rise & Shine! [Science-Backed]
Kickstart the New Year with a Self-Audit
’Tis the Season for Reexamining Your Values
Labeling Yourself is Keeping You Down, Do This Instead
Why People See Problems Where There Are None
How to Embrace, Not Fear, Being Alone
Why It’s So Hard to Shake the Way People Make You Feel
Are We Really Having Fun at Bars or Just Escaping Reality?
Why You’re Never Going to Be Satisfied With Life
To Fix Your Problems, Find the Root Cause
I Changed My Mind About Saying “Merry Christmas,” and You Should Too
“Digital Body Language” Is Everything: Interview with Erica Dhawan
Nir’s Note: Erica Dhawan is the author of the new book “Digital Body Language: How to Build Trust and Connection, No Matter the Distance.” She is an entrepreneur, WSJ best-selling author, and award-winning speaker. Erica is a globally recognized authority on digital...
Getting Over FOMO, the Fear of Missing Out
Here Are The 4 Simple Introspection Steps That Will Boost Self Awareness
A List of 20 Values [and Why People Can’t Agree On More]
What would be your list of values? When you replace the typical definition of ‘values’ with a better one, it suddenly becomes clearer.When I recently came across the headline “The World’s Most Influential Values, In One Graphic,” I couldn’t help but click–a good data...
Can We Please Stop Calling Everyone “Addicted”?
It’s disrespectful, degrading, and disempowering. In my review of The Social Dilemma, I challenged the filmmakers’ rather extreme view that huge swaths of people are “addicted to technology,” that social media is like a dangerous drug that’s hijacking people’s brains,...
The Influencers Dinner: An Interview with Jon Levy
Nir’s Note: What do Bill Nye, break dancer Crazy Legs, cyber illusionist Marco Tempest, and economist Nouriel Roubini have in common? They’ve all been guests at a little-known "Influencers dinner" regularly hosted by behavioral scientist Jon Levy at his New York...
Don’t Fall for This Excuse Trap: Why “That Won’t Work for Me” is Self-Sabotaging
To find your focus, learn to resist this self-sabotaging excuse.Imagine this: You’ve been diagnosed with a rare and serious disease. In hopes of keeping you alive, the doctor recommends a new, experimental course of treatment. It works for some people—maybe 60%. But...
Love is Measured By the Benefit of the Doubt: The Secret to True Kindness
Babies. They’re such jerks, aren’t they? They wake you up in the middle of the night. They make huge messes for you to clean up. And let’s not forget to mention the inevitable diaper blowouts that happen at all the wrong times. Who do they think they are? Of course,...
An Illustrated Guide to the 4 Types of Liars
Hypocrites: How to Survive in a World that’s Full of Them
What is a Hypocrite?hyp-o-crite /ˈhipəˌkrit/ noun a person who claims to have moral standards to which that person’s own behavior fails to conform.What is an Example of Being a Hypocrite?I once worked with a person we’ll call “Dick.” Dick always told me he’d get...
How to Turn Off Harmful Stress Like a Switch
By Nir Eyal and Todd SnyderLet’s play a game of “would you rather.” Would you rather speak in front of 500 people for an hour or be stuck in an elevator with your ex? Would you rather get a cavity drilled or be forced to take a four-hour Zumba class? Would you rather...
Handling Life Transitions: Interview with Bruce Feiler
Recently I had the opportunity to sit down for a Q&A with Bruce Feiler, a Ted Talk veteran and seven-time bestselling author, who most recently wrote Life is in the Transitions, a guidebook for navigating the times when our lives pivot dramatically. You can find...
Why You’re Not Good at Changing Minds (and What You Can Do About It)
Dr. Jonah Berger is a marketing professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania where he studies how products, ideas, and behaviors catch on. He’s written two bestsellers, Contagious and Invisible Influence, and his newest book, The Catalyst,...
Here Is How to Practice Stillness and Increase Focus
Ryan Holiday is the author of ten books which have sold over 2 million copies. His books, including The Obstacle Is the Way, Ego Is the Enemy, The Daily Stoic, and Conspiracy have been translated into thirty languages. In this interview, Ryan discusses his latest...
How to (Finally) Put an End to Pointless Arguments
Count me as a Buster Benson fan. His 2016 Cognitive bias cheat sheet is legendary among behavioral designers. I have a framed print out of his codex in my home and I’ve enjoyed his writing on various topics for years. He has extensive experience building products that...
Why Our Tech Obsession Might Be a Work Obsession
Nir's Note: Below is the transcript of an interview I did with David Burkus, an award-winning podcaster and author of Under New Management: The Unexpected Truths about Leading Great Organizations. This interview was part of a Heleo Conversation on the topic of...
It’s How You React to Failure that Matters: Why Ego is the Enemy
Nir's Note: This guest post is an excerpt from my friend Ryan Holiday's new book, Ego Is the Enemy. Ryan is the author of three other books and his monthly reading recommendations, which go out to 50,000+ subscribers, can be found here. It can ruin your life only if...
4 Cures for Feeling Overwhelmed: A Book Review
Nir’s Note: This book review is by Sam McNerney. Sam writes about cognitive psychology, business, and philosophy.Many of us feel we’re drowning in the rising tide of emails, updates, and digital distractions. According to a survey by the Families and Work Institute,...
3 Ways I Use Technology to Find Happiness
Nir’s Note: This guest post comes from Brendan Kane who has built technology for MTV, Paramount, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, and the NHL. In this article, Brendan describes how he reprogramed the way he views the world using little more than his iPhone and iPad to find...
To Become a Superstar, Improve Your Strengths (Not Your Faults)
Nir’s Note: This guest post is by Auren Hoffman, the CEO of LiveRamp in San Francisco. This essay is a bit different from the normal subject matter on the blog but I hope it will stir some discussion about which of our personal habits are worth improving. Connect with...