Let us begin our discussion of this important topic with the most important element — questions. Self-reflection regularly involves asking questions such as: ‘Why did all this happen to me?’, ‘How could I have done such a thing?’ or ‘Why was I born this way?’ Self-analysis, on the other hand, focuses on something completely different: ‘What can I learn from this situation?’, ‘What useful lessons can I draw from this experience?’ or ‘If a similar situation arises in the future, how can I handle it better?’

It is important to note that self-reflection that is mired in the past remains there, endlessly digging up new “problems” that were unacceptable and should not have happened. Wise self-analysis, on the other hand, only briefly touches on what has already happened, extracts experience from it, and immediately turns its focus to the future, considering how this valuable knowledge can be applied.

Based on this, we understand that self-reflection can go on forever, because a destructive mind can dwell on the past not just for hours, but for days, weeks, months, and in severe cases, even years — all without achieving anything productive. The result is a lot of stress and zero results. With self-analysis, we simply think about the past situation, extract the benefits and lessons, and then calmly move on to other, more pressing matters. The yoke of self-reflection is growing anxiety, a sense of powerlessness and emotional emptiness, and sometimes even shame. As a result of self-analysis, we gain a deep understanding of what happened, moral relief, and clarity about our next steps.

In the process of self-reflection, a person begins to mentally attack themselves, engaging in self-flagellation. They obsess over their past mistakes, sometimes even calling themselves the most inappropriate names. When we engage in self-analysis, we calmly acknowledge that certain actions we have taken were ineffective, and then carefully consider and find various ways to resolve the situation.

In essence, self-flagellation is a kind of self-torture that threatens to turn into self-destruction over time. At its core is a hidden desire to punish oneself for not living up to one’s ideals. It exhausts a person, gradually draining their life energy. Self-analysis, on the other hand, is a calm, detailed examination of a situation, done out of love and respect for oneself, based on the deep conviction that we deserve the best and are ready for inner growth and self-development. After productive self-analysis, we feel a surge of energy, because we have understood and accepted our mistakes, drawn the appropriate conclusions, and gained control over the situation.

So, dear friends, take a moment today and analyse what is currently present in your life — constructive self-analysis or destructive self-pity? I dare to hope that your mind is still active. In that case, it will clearly not hurt to figure out whether your thinking is positive or negative, because sometimes revelations can be sudden and instructive!