A Key to Heighten Academic Fulfillment
It was one of those weeks.
The kind where your to-do list is jammed with meetings, grading, and drafts that need your attention. You check things off but still go to bed feeling behind. And when you finally sit down to reflect on the week, you’re left asking yourself: What did I even get done?
I’ve been there. And I’ve learned that when I’m feeling disconnected or in a fog, it’s not because I haven’t been productive—it’s because I haven’t been introspective.
What is Introspection (and Why Does It Matter)?
Introspection is the process of looking inward and examining your thoughts, feelings, and motivations. According to Verywell Mind, it involves “examining your internal thoughts and feelings, and reflecting on what they mean.” It’s a fundamental tool for personal growth and emotional intelligence (Cherry, 2023).
But for academics, introspection is more than just a self-help practice. It’s the key to clarity, renewal, and sustainable success in a profession that constantly demands more of us.
Reflection Without Introspection Is Just a Checklist
If you’ve ever filled out a reflective journal and still felt stuck afterward, you’re not alone. Reflection is often misunderstood. We associate it with recapping what happened or listing wins and challenges. That’s a great start—but without asking deeper questions like, “What did I learn about myself this week?” or “Why did that moment affect me the way it did?”, we’re simply recording events, not reinterpreting them.
In my guided journal, The Professor’s Week in Review, I include that exact prompt: What did I learn about myself this week? It’s there for a reason. When you slow down and turn inward with honesty and compassion, the insights you gain can be the difference between burnout and breakthrough.
I know this from personal experience. Until I started asking myself this question and working through the answer in writing, I never really took the time to process what I was learning about myself thoroughly. I taught four courses every single semester for 19 years, and two summer school courses every single summer, and although I would reflect on what I learned about my students, my department, the institution, and so much more, I found that I did not spend enough time focusing on what I learned about myself in that “work” space.
I just kept pushing, so I presumed that other academics might have been doing the same.
Why We Avoid Introspection (Even When We Know We Need It)
Let’s be real: introspection isn’t always comfortable.
It requires stillness when you’re used to hustling. It demands vulnerability in a culture that rewards output. It asks you to confront patterns, choices, and beliefs that might need unlearning.
But the alternative—going through the motions, feeling emotionally numb, and losing sight of your “why”—is far more costly.
Without introspection, we:
- Struggle to articulate our needs or set boundaries
- Repeat unhelpful cycles in our teaching, research, and relationships
- Feel successful on paper but hollow in practice
Enter: The Mindful Academic Challenge
This is exactly why I created The Mindful Academic Challenge.
It’s a 16-week invitation to slow down, reflect, and realign. Each week, participants receive:
- Gentle nudges to notice patterns and practice gratitude
- Optional co-writing sessions each Saturday at noon to write with community
- Ongoing encouragement and space to pause
You can journal solo or join us for collective reflection.
Either way, the process invites you to stop performing and start connecting with yourself, with your values, with what matters most.
The Challenge Isn’t About Doing More. It’s About Being More Honest.
We often believe that the solution to overwhelm is better time management, more boundaries, or smarter planning. While those help, they only scratch the surface.
If you want to feel more aligned as an academic, you have to know yourself. That kind of knowing doesn’t come from checklists. It comes from deep, compassionate introspection.
This challenge isn’t about perfect attendance or polished journal entries. It’s about showing up for yourself each week with curiosity and care.
Let’s Write, Reflect, and Grow Together
If you’ve ever ended a semester wondering where your energy went—or started a week unsure of why your heart’s not in it—this challenge is for you.
We begin on August 23rd and continue through December 6th. That’s sixteen weeks of intentional, supported reflection. Sixteen weeks of pausing to ask, What did I learn about myself? And sixteen weeks to let the answers guide you toward deeper purpose and greater fulfillment.
Join us.
You’re not behind. You’re right on time.
Sign up for The Mindful Academic Challenge here.
Let’s make it a mindful semester.
Reference: Cherry, K. (2023). What Is Introspection? Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-introspection-2795252