Reflection Examples: 50+ Written Samples, Templates & Prompts

What Is Reflection?

Reflection is the intentional process of thinking deeply about an experience, decision, or period of time to extract meaning and learn from it. Unlike casual thinking, reflection is structured, purposeful, and often written.

In psychology, reflection is closely linked to metacognition — the ability to think about your own thinking. Research from Harvard Business School found that employees who spent 15 minutes at the end of each day writing reflections performed 23% better after 10 days than those who didn't reflect. The act of writing forces you to organize scattered thoughts into coherent insights.

Reflection happens in three main contexts: personal (journaling, self-discovery, growth), academic (student papers, course evaluations, learning portfolios), and professional (performance reviews, project retrospectives, leadership development). The principles are the same across all three — examine what happened, why it matters, and what you'll do differently.

5 Types of Reflection

Reflection Frameworks Compared

Before diving into examples, it helps to understand the most widely used reflection frameworks. Each provides a different structure for organizing your thoughts:

For most people, the "What? So What? Now What?" framework is the best starting point. It's simple enough for daily use yet deep enough to produce genuine insights. The examples below use this framework unless noted otherwise.

20 Self-Reflection Examples

These written-out examples show what good personal reflection looks like. Use them as models for your own self-reflection journal.

Emotions & Mental Health

1. Reflecting on anxiety at work

"Today I noticed my chest tightening before the team meeting — the same physical response I always get when I'm about to present. What I realized is that my anxiety isn't about the presentation itself. It's about judgment. I'm afraid of saying something wrong in front of people I respect. This tells me I'm tying my self-worth to others' perceptions. Going forward, I want to prepare my key points beforehand, but also remind myself: being imperfect in a meeting doesn't diminish my competence."

2. Processing a difficult conversation

"I had a tense conversation with my sister about Mom's care. I was frustrated because I felt like I was carrying most of the responsibility. But reflecting on it now, I realize I never actually asked for help — I just expected her to offer. My pattern is to silently build resentment instead of making clear requests. Next time, I'll practice saying 'I need help with X' directly, without passive-aggressive undertones."

3. Recognizing a growth moment

"Six months ago, I would have spiraled after getting critical feedback on my project. Today, when my manager said my report needed restructuring, I felt disappointed but not devastated. I asked clarifying questions, took notes, and started revising without procrastinating. This is real progress. The journaling I've been doing — especially writing out worst-case scenarios and watching them not happen — has genuinely rewired how I handle criticism."

4. Examining a recurring pattern

"I've cancelled plans with friends three times this month. Each time I told myself I was 'too tired,' but looking at my energy logs, I actually had fine energy on those days. The truth is I've been isolating. When I'm stressed at work, I withdraw socially — and then feel lonely, which makes the stress worse. This week, I'm committing to keeping one social plan no matter what, even if it's just coffee for 30 minutes."

5. Celebrating a personal win

"I set a boundary today. My colleague asked me to take on their report (again), and instead of my usual 'sure, no problem,' I said 'I don't have capacity this week — maybe check with the team.' It felt uncomfortable in the moment, but afterward I felt lighter. Reflecting on why: I've spent years training people to expect me to say yes. Untangling that will take time, but today was proof I can do it."

Relationships

6. Reflecting on a parenting moment

"I snapped at my daughter this morning because she was taking too long to get ready. Reflecting on it, I was already stressed about being late to my meeting — she was just the easiest target. I owe her an apology. The lesson here is that my stress management directly affects my parenting. When I'm regulated, I'm patient. When I'm dysregulated, I'm reactive. I need to build a 5-minute buffer into mornings."

7. Understanding a friendship shift

"I've been feeling distant from Jake lately and couldn't figure out why. Writing about it, I think it's because our conversations have become surface-level — we only talk about sports and work, never about anything real. I miss the vulnerability we used to have. I'm going to suggest we grab dinner instead of our usual quick lunch, and I'll open up about something real first."

Career & Purpose

8. Evaluating a career decision

"I turned down the promotion. On paper, it made no sense — 30% pay increase, better title, more influence. But sitting with it in my journal for a week, I kept writing about how the role would pull me away from the creative work that energizes me and toward management tasks that drain me. Money and status aren't my primary motivators right now; meaning is. I don't regret the decision."

9. Reflecting on a project failure

"The product launch didn't hit our numbers. My instinct is to blame the timeline or the market, but honestly, I know the real issue: I didn't push back when leadership compressed the deadline from 12 weeks to 6. I had data showing it wasn't feasible, but I was too worried about being seen as negative. Next launch, I'm committing to presenting the data regardless of how it's received."

10. Mid-year career check-in

"Halfway through the year, and I realize I've been coasting. I haven't learned anything substantially new since February. My days feel productive but not developmental. The comfortable routine that felt like efficiency is actually stagnation. I need one stretch project or learning commitment for Q3 — something that makes me slightly uncomfortable."

Personal Growth & Identity

11. Reflecting on a value conflict

"I said yes to a freelance project that pays well but conflicts with my values around sustainability. The client makes products I wouldn't personally buy. Writing this out, I can see the pattern: when money is tight, I compromise on values. The question isn't whether I can do the work — it's whether I want to be someone who makes exceptions when it's financially convenient. I'm going to finish this contract but not renew."

12. Processing a life transition

"It's been three months since the move, and I still don't feel at home. I keep comparing everything to my old city. But re-reading my journal entries from before the move, I was miserable there too — I'd just gotten used to the misery. This reflection helps me see that my discomfort isn't about geography. It's about the fear of building something new from scratch. I need to stop comparing and start investing."

Daily Reflections (Short Form)

13. End-of-day reflection

"Best moment today: the 20-minute walk at lunch where I didn't check my phone. Hardest moment: resisting the urge to check email before bed. What I'd do differently: eat lunch away from my desk. Tomorrow's intention: be more present in the 2pm meeting instead of multitasking."

14. Weekly reflection

"This week I prioritized deep work on Monday and Tuesday, and it set the tone for everything else. By contrast, Wednesday started with emails and I never recovered focus. Pattern: the first hour of my day determines the quality of the whole day. Protect mornings."

15-20. One-sentence daily reflections

• "I noticed I feel most alive when I'm helping someone solve a problem — not when I'm solving it alone."
• "Today I chose rest over productivity, and it was the right call."
• "I learned that saying 'I don't know' in a meeting earned me more respect, not less."
• "My reaction to the bad news told me more about my growth than the news itself."
• "I'm starting to see that perfectionism isn't high standards — it's fear dressed up as ambition."
• "The person I was five years ago wouldn't recognize how calmly I handled today."

15 Academic Reflection Examples

These examples are written in the style expected by universities and instructors. Each demonstrates the depth and structure that earns top marks.

Course & Learning Reflections

21. Reflecting on a challenging course

"This semester's statistics course challenged my assumptions about my own learning style. I entered believing I was 'not a math person' — a fixed mindset I'd carried since high school. What changed was the professor's emphasis on process over answers. When I started focusing on understanding why formulas work rather than memorizing them, my comprehension shifted. I earned a B+, which doesn't reflect the transformation in how I approach quantitative thinking. The real learning wasn't statistics — it was dismantling a 10-year-old limiting belief."

22. Group project reflection

"Our team project on sustainable urban design revealed my tendency to take over when I sense the group losing direction. While my organizational skills kept us on deadline, I realized I was inadvertently silencing quieter team members. During our final session, I deliberately stepped back and asked Maria for her perspective — and her idea about green corridors became the strongest section of our presentation. This taught me that leadership sometimes means creating space rather than filling it."

23. Reflecting on a research paper

"Writing the literature review for my psychology paper was the most intellectually demanding assignment I've completed. I initially approached it as a summary exercise — listing what each source said. After my professor's feedback, I understood that a literature review requires synthesis: identifying patterns, contradictions, and gaps across sources. This shift from 'reporting' to 'analyzing' is a skill I'll carry into every research project moving forward."

Internship & Field Experience

24. Clinical placement reflection (nursing student)

"During my pediatric rotation, I cared for a 6-year-old post-surgery patient who refused to cooperate with vitals. My instinct was to be firm and efficient — get the task done. Instead, my preceptor modeled something different: she let the child hold the stethoscope first, explained what each tool does in age-appropriate language, and turned the blood pressure cuff into a 'squeeze game.' The child laughed and cooperated completely. This experience reshaped my understanding of patient-centered care: meeting people where they are, even when efficiency would be faster."

25. Teaching practicum reflection

"My first solo lesson on fractions did not go as planned. I had a detailed PowerPoint with 15 slides — but by slide 4, I could see the students' eyes glazing over. I abandoned the slides and asked: 'If you had to split a pizza among 4 friends, how would you do it?' Suddenly, every hand went up. The lesson I learned about teaching isn't about fractions — it's that relevance trumps comprehensiveness. Students engage when content connects to their world."

Service Learning

26. Community volunteer reflection

"Volunteering at the food bank forced me to confront my unconscious assumptions about poverty. I expected to see a certain 'type' of person, but the families I met included a retired teacher, a single father who works two jobs, and a college student. My sociology readings about systemic inequality suddenly had faces. I'm now questioning other assumptions I hold — about homelessness, about mental illness, about who 'deserves' help. Academic understanding and experiential understanding are fundamentally different."

Weak vs. Strong Reflection Comparison

10 Professional Reflection Examples

27. Post-project retrospective

"The Q3 campaign exceeded revenue targets by 15% but burned out two team members. Looking at this honestly, I prioritized outcomes over people. The success metric obscured the cost. Going forward, I'm adding 'team wellbeing check-ins' to every project milestone. Performance means nothing if the team can't sustain it."

28. Leadership growth reflection

"I received feedback that I 'don't delegate enough.' My first reaction was defensive — I delegate plenty. But tracking my decisions for a week revealed I was approving every minor expense, reviewing every email before it went out, and attending meetings I didn't need to be in. The data contradicted my self-perception. I'm now implementing a delegation matrix: anything under $500 or below a certain risk level doesn't need my approval."

29. After a difficult performance review

"My manager said I need to 'be more strategic and less tactical.' I've heard this before but never understood what it meant practically. After reflecting, I think it means: stop solving every immediate problem myself and instead ask 'why does this problem keep recurring?' and address the root cause. Tactical is fixing bugs. Strategic is redesigning the system so bugs don't happen."

30-35. Short professional reflections

• "The best meeting I ran this month was the one where I talked least. I asked three questions and let the team fill the silence."
• "I noticed I only give feedback when something goes wrong. This week I'm committing to one piece of positive feedback per day."
• "My instinct in conflict is to seek compromise, but today's negotiation taught me that sometimes both parties need to feel heard before solutions even matter."
• "I've been avoiding the difficult conversation with my direct report for two weeks. The avoidance is now a bigger problem than the original issue."
• "This quarter I learned that saying 'let me think about that and get back to you' is not a weakness — it's the most professional response available."
• "Reflecting on my first year as a manager: I spent too much time on systems and not enough on relationships. People don't follow processes. They follow people they trust."

Reflection Templates

Use these fill-in templates to structure your own reflections. Each one takes 5-10 minutes to complete.

Template 1: Daily Reflection (What? So What? Now What?)

Template 2: Weekly Reflection

Template 3: Academic Reflection (Gibbs Cycle)

How to Write a Reflection: Step-by-Step

Whether you're writing a reflection for school, work, or personal growth, follow these seven steps:

1. Choose a specific experience. Don't reflect on "this semester" — reflect on the specific moment when your understanding shifted. Narrow focus produces deeper insight.
2. Describe what happened factually. Before interpreting, write the objective facts. What happened, who was involved, what was said or done. Separate observation from judgment.
3. Name your feelings honestly. "It was fine" isn't a feeling. Were you anxious? Proud? Frustrated? Surprised? Naming emotions accurately is the gateway to understanding them.
4. Ask "why" at least three times. Surface-level reflection says "I was nervous." Deeper reflection asks: "Why was I nervous?" → "Because I was afraid of failing." → "Why am I afraid of failing?" → "Because I link performance to self-worth." Each "why" takes you closer to the real insight.
5. Connect to broader patterns. Is this a one-time event, or does it reflect a recurring theme in your life? Connecting individual experiences to larger patterns is what makes reflection transformative rather than merely descriptive.
6. Identify what you'd do differently. Reflection without forward action is just reminiscing. Every reflection should end with a concrete commitment: "Next time, I will..."
7. Write it down. Thinking about an experience is not the same as reflecting on it. Writing activates different neural pathways and forces clarity. Use a journal — physical or digital — and make it a regular practice.

Research: The Science of Reflection

30 Reflection Prompts by Category

Use these prompts when you're not sure what to reflect on. For more extensive prompt collections, see our self-discovery journal prompts guide.

Personal Growth (10)

1. What's one belief I held a year ago that I no longer hold? What changed it?
2. When did I last feel truly proud of myself, and why?
3. What recurring pattern in my life am I ready to break?
4. If I could go back and give my younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
5. What am I avoiding right now, and what's the cost of avoidance?
6. What does my ideal ordinary day look like?
7. When do I feel most like myself?
8. What boundary do I need to set (or reinforce) this week?
9. What am I tolerating that I shouldn't be?
10. How has my definition of success changed in the past 5 years?

Academic/Student (10)

11. What concept from this course challenged my previous understanding?
12. How did my approach to this assignment differ from past projects?
13. What study method worked best for me this semester, and why?
14. What feedback did I receive that initially surprised me?
15. How did working with my team shape my understanding of the topic?
16. What would I do differently if I could redo this project?
17. How does this course material connect to my career goals?
18. What skill did I develop this semester that isn't measured by grades?
19. What moment in this course will I remember five years from now?
20. What gap in my knowledge did this experience reveal?

Professional (10)

21. What's the most important lesson I've learned in my role this quarter?
22. Where am I adding the most value to my team right now?
23. What task do I keep procrastinating on, and what's really behind the delay?
24. How am I different as a professional today compared to one year ago?
25. What skill do I need to develop to reach my next career goal?
26. When did I last receive feedback that stung? What was true in it?
27. What meeting this week could I have skipped without any negative impact?
28. Am I managing my energy as carefully as I manage my time?
29. What would my team say is my biggest blind spot?
30. If I were hiring for my role, what would I look for that I currently lack?

How AI Can Deepen Your Reflection Practice

Traditional reflection relies on you asking yourself the right questions — which can be limiting when you have blind spots. AI journaling tools like Life Note solve this by asking unexpected questions drawn from the wisdom of 1,000+ of history's greatest minds — Marcus Aurelius, Maya Angelou, Carl Jung, and many more.

Instead of generic prompts, you get reflection questions tailored to what you've written: if you journal about a leadership challenge, you might receive perspective from Seneca on equanimity; if you write about a creative block, you might hear from Virginia Woolf on the artist's inner critic. A licensed psychotherapist called this approach "life-changing" because it provides therapeutic-quality reflection at scale.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an example of a reflection?

A reflection is a written analysis of a personal experience. For example: "After the team disagreement today, I noticed I shut down instead of sharing my perspective. This pattern of withdrawal under conflict comes from childhood — I'm working on recognizing it in the moment and choosing to speak up." Good reflections include what happened, how you felt, what it means, and what you'll do next.

How do you write a good reflection?

Use the "What? So What? Now What?" framework. Describe the experience factually (What?), analyze why it matters and what it reveals (So What?), and commit to a specific action going forward (Now What?). Avoid surface-level statements like "it was good" — dig into the feelings, patterns, and insights underneath.

What are the 3 types of reflection?

The three main types are: (1) personal reflection — examining your own thoughts, feelings, and growth patterns; (2) academic reflection — analyzing learning experiences and coursework; and (3) professional reflection — evaluating work performance, decisions, and career development. Each uses the same core skill of structured self-examination.

How long should a reflection be?

For daily journal reflections, 3-5 sentences is enough. Academic reflection papers are typically 500-1,500 words. Professional retrospectives can be a single paragraph per topic. Quality matters more than length — a focused 100-word reflection that produces genuine insight is more valuable than a vague 1,000-word summary.

What's the difference between reflection and summary?

A summary restates what happened. A reflection analyzes what it means. "We completed the project on time" is a summary. "Completing the project on time taught me that clear role definition at the start prevents the chaos we experienced last quarter" is a reflection. Summaries describe; reflections interpret and plan.