One of the biggest questions I have been asked by people studying to become a doctor or other medical professional involves the question, “Why is reflection important in healthcare?” The simple answer would be “To know what is going on in your body, in your mind and spirit.” These three aspects are reflection on wellness, what is happening in you currently and to know what is coming up for the future.
First off, what is health? Health is a state of total well-being that exists in your body, mind and spirit. It is an understanding of your body and how it works and how to maintain it at optimum levels for maximum efficiency of function. It encompasses the knowledge of nutrition, anatomy, pharmacology, physiology, diagnostic procedures, diagnostic tests and much more. It is a way of understanding your body and its functions that allow you to make educated and informed decisions regarding your care of yourself.
In understanding your body’s condition it is necessary to reflect on your mental, emotional and spiritual state. Mental, emotional and spiritual reflection is very important in keeping you grounded emotionally and keeping you grounded as a person. This helps you determine how you respond to your physical environment and to your health challenges. A lack of reflection can create chaos within ones personal life and in their ability to balance their life. Being self-aware and reflective at all times creates harmony in one’s life. The lack of harmony is what creates turmoil and unhappiness.
Another question often asked is why is reflection important in healthcare? The reason is that in understanding one’s body we gain insight into how we respond to others and how we are able to control our emotions and reactions in any given circumstance. It provides an understanding of what causes our anxiety and how we can change it. Reflecting on our thoughts, allows us to take a look at what went wrong last time and how we can improve moving forward.
The third question often asked is why is reflection important in healthcare when the focus should be on prevention. Prevention is much better than treatment. It is the best course of action in understanding how to prevent our bodies from injury and disease.
With the emphasis on wellness management why is reflection important in healthcare? Because the best way to achieve health is to take action and take responsibility for our own health. We must choose to do what we say we will do. As an example, if you tell yourself that you will quit smoking four weeks from now you cannot expect yourself to suddenly stop. To expect instantaneous results is to believe in magic and wish for impossibility.
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