Be in the Service of Humanity is part of the Field Guide to Service.

Why?

Developing your own reflection exercise is a great way to stretch yourself creatively while simultaneously exploring the questions and themes that came out of your experience. It also offers you the opportunity to create a tool you can use to connect and start conversations with others.

How?

To start crafting your own reflection tool, think about what you want to accomplish. 

  • Are you looking to gain more insight about yourself?
  • Do you want to take a closer look at a particular element of your experience?
  • Are you looking to explore how what you did fits into the bigger picture?

With your end goal in mind, it’s time to pick a method of reflection that matches and challenges you. Some methods of reflection to consider are:

Oral Reflection

  • Talk it out with a friend
  • Record your thoughts and feelings via video or audio

Written Reflection

  • Journal about your experience
  • Free associate—jot down words, thoughts and feelings

Visual Reflection

  • Go it alone or in a group
  • Get creative—draw or sketch it out, build a collage, the options are endless!

Activity

Using the activities in this Field Guide to Service as a model, here are three steps to help create your own reflection tool.

Identify Your Goal

Develop a goal in one or more of the following categories:

  • Insight About Yourself
  • Take a Closer Look
  • The Bigger Picture

Develop Your Method

  • What method are you drawn to?
  • What is most outside your comfort zone?

Brainstorm what you could do via one or more of the following methods:

ORAL REFLECTION • WRITTEN REFLECITON • VISUAL REFLECTION

Find Your Guiding Questions

  • What questions will you need to ask to get at the heart of what you are trying to uncover?