Reflective Thinking: What It Is, and Why You Should Try It

Have you ever found yourself operating on autopilot? Maybe you’ve driven home from work and don’t remember much about the drive. Or maybe you realize, suddenly, that you’ve been scrolling social media for over an hour — but it feels like you sat down five minutes ago.

These are common experiences that can, at times, leave you feeling disoriented or even frustrated. The good news? Reflective thinking can help you avoid them and can serve as a healthy, beneficial practice in many other ways, too.

What is the Meaning of Reflective Thinking?

Reflective thinking is rooted in understanding — and it begins with presence and awareness. Dr. Leila Samii, assistant vice president of academic affairs and associate professor of marketing at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), explained this further.

“It’s about pausing to examine the decisions you’ve made, the actions you’ve taken or the beliefs you hold,” she said. “It means holding up a mirror to your thoughts and behaviors, analyzing not just what happened but why it happened, and considering how your responses and choices align with your values in the moment.”

Samii noted that reflective thinking doesn’t just help you understand your own actions and motivations; it helps you grow your understanding of why others behave the way they do, too.

“It encourages you to view the world with curiosity rather than judgment, allowing for more empathy and openness in how you interpret experiences,” she said.

How Do You Practice Reflective Thinking?

Reflective thinking involves a series of simple steps that anyone can practice. Here’s how to get started.

Pause

First, find a quiet time and place as free from interruptions as possible — somewhere you can settle in and think. While this sounds easy, Brian Sollenberger, senior director of talent development and history instructor at SNHU, said that many people trying to practice reflective thinking find it challenging — and for good reason.

“This first step is often the hardest in a fast-paced environment, and you must overcome the wrong assumption that this is non-productive time,” he said. “Find the timing and cadence that works best for you and stick to it. Pausing for reflective thinking on the past day or week and looking ahead to the next will pay off.”

According to Sollenberger, reflective thinking, in practice, looks different for everyone. You might choose to sit in a quiet space, spend your time journaling or go for a walk in nature. The key, he said, is figuring out what process feels most aligned with you. You might even try a few different practices to see what sticks.

Observe

Once you’ve carved out time and determined your process, you’re ready to start. Samii begins her reflective thinking practice with observation and encourages others to do the same.

“Pause to recognize and describe a situation or decision that has occurred,” she said. “From there, you move into understanding, exploring why you acted the way you did by examining your thoughts, emotions and reactions.”

This step, both Samii and Sollenberger noted, is about reflecting on an experience in a way that’s free from judgment (analysis comes next). This part of the process is simply about noticing what you observe in your reflection.

Analyze

Once you have a clear picture of the experience you’re reflecting on, you’ll want to ask guiding questions to develop a deeper understanding of that experience. Samii and Sollenberger have a few they use and recommend:

• What happened?
• What was that like for me? For others?
• Why did that happen that way?
• Could it have been approached differently?
• What can I learn or do differently next time?

Sollenberger noted, too, that reflective thinking isn’t limited to examining past events. You can also apply this practice to something you’re anticipating: a decision you have to make or a conversation you need to have, for example. In this instance, you might adjust your reflective questions to something like:

• What are my goals, expectations or assumptions about what’s going to happen?
• What will this be like for me? For others?
• What do I anticipate learning?
• What learning can I apply?
• How do I want to show up for this?

Apply

Once you’ve developed a deeper understanding of what happened — or thought intentionally about what may happen, if you’re reflecting on a future event — it’s time to apply what you’ve learned. Either way, Samii said this step is about using the insights you’ve garnered to guide future behavior.

“This might look like changing your approach, involving others more effectively or taking steps to address the impact of past choices,” she said.

She also said that putting what we learn into practice is the key to making every experience we have matter more. She points to educational experiences as strong examples.

“Without reflection, an internship is just work, and a project is just a grade,” she said. “With reflection, every experience becomes a source of insight and transformation. Reflective thinking moves you beyond a one-dimensional perspective, fostering a more thoughtful and balanced way of engaging with yourself, the people around you and your learning.”

What Are the Skills of Reflective Thinking?

Anyone, with practice, has the capacity to engage in reflective thinking, both Samii and Sollenberger emphasized. They each pointed to some specific skills that can help make the process more effective.

“Some of the key skills of a reflective thinker include self-awareness, patience and the willingness to slow down,” said Samii.

Sollenberger’s perspective on the most important skill?

“Curiosity is a must,” he said. “You cannot engage in meaningful reflective thinking without being curious about the experience of others around you... If the goal of reflective thinking is to impact how you show up with intention, (this) is the required mindset.”

Similarly, Samii highlighted the importance of leaving judgment of self and others at the door. It’s important to remember that there may be challenging moments or revelations we encounter through reflective thinking, and moving through those is just part of the process.

“Ultimately, it requires setting aside ego, being open to humility and approaching yourself and each situation without judgment,” she said. “True reflection isn’t about criticism — it’s about understanding and growth.”

Why Reflective Thinking Matters Today — and Where You Can Start

It’s no secret that we live in a fast-paced world. So sometimes, a slow, intentional practice — like reflective thinking — can feel extraneous or even inaccessible. Despite this, Samii and Sollenberger encourage you to push through the noise and the busyness, emphasizing just how critically important it is to be a reflective thinker.

Sollenberger even presents this practice as an antidote to the hustle of the world around you — a way to make it just a bit more manageable.

“An intentional, consistent practice of reflective thinking helps us tap into our wise brain and opens us up to a wide range of learnings about how we show up,” he said. “We can live our lives with ease and calm, but it takes intention and consistent practice.”

Excited to try your hand at reflective thinking, but still not quite sure where to begin? Samii said not to worry about all four steps right off the bat. Start with mindfulness and meditation.

“While many people assume meditation means clearing the mind completely, it’s actually about becoming aware of your thoughts without judgment,” she said. “By allowing yourself to observe these thoughts before settling into deeper meditation, you strengthen your ability to be present and engage in genuine reflection.”

Abigail (Abby) Syversen-Mark ’23G is a copywriter, contributing content writer and adjunct faculty member at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). A passionate storyteller, Abby hopes her writing will help prospective students and employees alike see just how transformative SNHU could be for them (as it’s been pretty transformative for her). You can connect with her on LinkedIn.