Feeling reflective
Feeling reflective means looking back at your own life and decisions, usually quietly, to understand what they meant or where they’re leading.
What does feeling reflective feel like?
It often arrives at a threshold: a birthday, the last day of a job, the drive home from a wedding or a funeral. You go quiet, small talk feels harder than usual, and old memories come back with new questions attached, like why you chose what you did, or what you’d do differently now.
Reflective or contemplative?
Reflective looks back at your own story: what happened, what you chose, what it taught you. Contemplative looks further out, at something bigger than you, like time, nature or faith, or simply at the sea for an hour. Reflection usually hopes to reach an answer. Contemplation is often content to stay with the question.
In a sentence
- “New Year’s Eve always puts me in a reflective mood.”
- “She felt reflective after visiting her old school.”
- “The long train ride home left him feeling reflective.”
Where it sits on the wheel
Reflective is one of the core feelings, in the center of the wheel. Further out: thoughtful, curious and nostalgic.
A gentle prompt
What has been on your mind lately? Let yourself write without editing.
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Something to go with it
More gentle questions, one at a time, if you’d like to keep going.
Feelings near reflective
Thoughtful (further out)
Thoughtful is careful thinking about one thing; reflective turns inward, toward your life and what things mean.
Curious (further out)
Curious looks outward and wants to learn more; reflective looks inward.
Nostalgic (further out)
Nostalgic is reflecting on the past, with a fond or aching feeling.
The other core feelings: peaceful, joyful, connected, tired, afraid, angry and sad.
About the feelings wheel
Reflective is one of the 104 words on the Slow Days feelings wheel, and the list of feelings has them all. The wheel isn’t a test or a diagnosis.