Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines acknowledge as "to admit the truth or existence of something."
Rephrasing this we could say, "Acknowledgment is a reflection of available information and ultimately a conclusion determined from the acknowledgment." Acknowledgment is critical to the task of processing information or situations.
Every day we gather, analyze, use, and discard vast amounts of information. As we process information we ultimately determine how it applies to us, and take action. For example, acknowledging you will not have time to go out for lunch so you pack a lunch. Learning how we determine truth and apply action requires us to be observers of our behavior.
Journaling is an excellent tool for self-observation. Below is a 5-step practice you can use to develop your observation skills.
- Pick a day each week you will dedicate time to quickly jot down recent events. I put it on my calendar. I suggest you spend no longer than 15-20 minutes on this activity. It isn't necessary to create a story but simply to record.
- Make notes on as many events as you can the actions you took, thoughts you had, or problems they caused.
- Pick a time each month to review your journal and to observe how you acknowledge experiences in your life. Putting distance between events and reviews will help to reduce the emotions connected to them.
- Place a note at the bottom of your reviewed journal entries with your observations of behavior, and anything you think you could have done differently as well as what you see as successful.
- Every few months, review your monthly observations and note what has changed.
An entry might look similar to this:
Stranded on highway & had to call a tow truck. - $210 bill, the engine overheated, not sure how I will cover all my bills this month. Made a schedule to check fluids in my car weekly.
Regularly journaling and reviewing our entries will strengthen our ability to manage bigger events when they occur. The growth we achieve as we acknowledge our behavior is shared in the richness of our interactions with others, and in how we react to events. Self-improvement is not a task we can complete but one we must practice regularly.
