Try the Examen - Reflect on the Day
What do you do before you go to bed? What’s your routine? Do you have one or do you just crash onto the pillow and pass out?
I’m not naturally a reflective person. I tend to look forward not back. But over time I have learned that it’s important to look back and reflect, both over the long term and short term.
This next spiritual practice combines both reflection and my favorite thing: journaling. The practice has a fancy Latin name - Examen. The word means what you would guess it means: examine, to look at something closely. The idea is that you take just a few minutes at the end of your day to answer a few questions in reflection.
Examen Questions
1. Where did I see God at work today? Where did I see Him work in my life?
2. What am I thankful for?
3. What did I feel today? Emotions are not our dictator of truth. However, they can be good pointers toward things going on in our lives. What made me angry? Frustrated? Happy? What things seemed to cause those emotions and how can I make adjustments to my life to ease things like anger and frustration and encourage happiness, joy and contentment?
4. Pick one aspect of the day and pray about it.
5. Look to tomorrow and pray about anything that concerns you or you’re anxious about. Lay it in God’s hands.
Find a Time and Place
One challenge I have in doing this is that I forget. Or I don’t remember until I’m laying in bed with the lights off and the last I want to do is get up and pull out a journal and write things down that I have to think about. One solution is to obviously move the practice to a bit earlier in my evening. Maybe as part of getting ready for bed.
It’s also helpful to have a set place to do this. I start my day at my desk, reading the Bible and journaling. It makes sense to end my day there, also. You could also do this while laying in bed. I generally try to make things as easy and convenient for myself as possible so that I’m more likely to do it. A journal and pen next to the bed is another good option.
As with most journaling, I recommend paper and pen rather than doing it digitally. There’s something about physically writing that makes us slow down and really think. Besides, screens right before bed won’t help you sleep!
Benefits
Why do all this? What are the benefits of reflecting on the day? Paying attention is always a good thing. Maybe you realize you’re getting frustrated every day around dinner time because the kids are bouncing off the walls. Maybe it’s time to start a new routine for them that will give them something more productive to do. Looking back on the day also helps us recognize where God is working in our lives and prompts is to be thankful.
I also found that when I started doing this, my reflections about the day began with me reciting all the things that I hadn’t done as well as I thought I should have. I had to step back and ask why I was so critical of myself. I started focusing more on what had gone well instead of what I didn’t like. It helped to change my attitude about myself.
How about you? Do you reflect on your day? How might you incorporate the Examen or some version of it into your life?