Often, we get ourselves into situations that could have been avoided if we’d reacted in a certain way or had thought of a different approach. Generally, when we land ourselves into such situations, we tend to think about past events and decisions made by us that resulted in the occurrence of those respective situations. We analyse calls that we made, rerun scenarios in our heads and whatnot. This is usually what we refer to as retrospection. More formally put, retrospection refers to the act of looking back on or reviewing past events or situations, especially those in one’s life.
Retrospection attracts rather divided opinions from people. Many say that they do not wish to suffer twice, that is, through an event and later on, through its retrospection. However, there is also another group of people who strongly believe in retrospection and deem it crucial for one’s mental well-being. The focal point of this article shall be the importance of retrospection and how to practice it correctly so as to be in a mentally comfortable state.
Firstly, it is important to know how frequently one must retrospect. Frankly speaking, there is no fixed minimum or maximum regarding the number of times a person should or can retrospect in a day, week, etc. It depends on how much the individual is comfortable confronting with past events and the magnitude of emotions connected with the same. Retrospection is only healthy up to a certain point, that is, as long as one feels that he/she is able to use it to improve his/her performance, rectify mistakes, etc. If we land ourselves in situations wherein we start feeling extreme emotions, be it happiness, sorrow, or anxiousness, that’s when it is advisable to stop. The key is to not let it hamper present-day life experiences or lead to anomalous scenarios.
Now, there are many ways to trigger retrospection. Sometimes, the triggers are involuntary or unwanted, while in other cases, one can control when one wants to retrospect (or just think). In the case of involuntary triggers, the trigger automatically makes one recall a certain memory and then retrospect eventually. These triggers could include smelling a specific scent, listening to a particular tune or any such sense organ related case. It is noticeable how we sometimes associate a certain memory with a song and then tend to get lost in our thoughts on hearing the same song later. Voluntary retrospection can be done by consciously making an effort to play that very song to recall that very memory and eventually retrospect. It can somewhat be correlated with going in the reverse direction in order to bring about a memory. Each person’s triggers may vary, but it is important to know what these triggers are.
Lastly, the entire purpose of retrospection is to be able to reflect on past actions and decisions and get to know one’s own self better. If, at the end of the day, one is at ease thanks to gaining a greater knowledge of one’s own self, then that’s all that matters!