A beginner's guide to: Self-guided enquiry

self-reflection, self-directed enquiry, personal enquiry

Self-guided enquiry is a way to reflect on personal questions and thoughts, helping you understand yourself better and gain clarity. It allows you to develop personal insights that can guide your decisions and actions.

In a hurry and don't have any questions?

  1. Check out our safety recommendations.

  2. Ensure you have some uninterrupted time to spend on this practice.

  3. Grab your preferred tools for writing or taking notes.

  4. Clarify exactly what you want to work on today.

  5. When you are ready, head to our Practice Guides and get started.

Looking for detailed practice guides? Hang tight, they are coming soon!

What is self-guided enquiry?

Imagine having the ability to navigate your thoughts, beliefs and experiences with intention, leading to profound insights and personal growth. Self-guided enquiry is a powerful tool that allows you to do just that. Unlike passive reflection, this practice involves a deliberate, structured approach to exploring your emotional landscape. By posing specific questions and critically analysing your responses, you can uncover hidden patterns, resolve internal conflicts and gain clarity on issues that matter most to you. Whether you're seeking to understand a particular behaviour, challenge a belief or explore a recurring thought, self-guided enquiry empowers you to become your own guide in achieving greater self-awareness and personal development. Ready to dive deep into your own mind? Let's explore how to start your self-guided enquiry practice today.

Why self-guided enquiry is good for you

Incorporating self-guided enquiry into your routine can definitely enhance your mental health, offering deep insights and fostering personal growth.

Enhanced self-awareness

Emotional well-being, Self well-being

Improved emotional regulation

Emotional well-being

Greater clarity and focus

Self well-being

Increased problem-solving skills

Intellectual well-being

Stronger personal growth

Self well-being

People who love self-guided enquiry

Socrates

Person

Trevor Noah

Person

Richie McCaw

Sports

The Alchemist (Novel)

Book

Real people's experiences

Starting self-guided enquiry? Read this first

Before you dive in, take a moment to slow down and focus. Self-guided enquiry is a thoughtful process that requires patience and honesty. The following sections will guide you through key aspects of this practice, helping you approach it with the right mindset for meaningful insights.

Common styles

There are several approaches to this practice, and it's worth exploring them to find which one suits you best.

Reflective enquiry

Critical enquiry

Creative enquiry

Metacognitive enquiry

Safety

⚠️

Set clear boundaries for your enquiry to avoid becoming overwhelmed.

⚠️

Ensure you have a support system in place, such as friends, family or a therapist, to discuss any difficult emotions that may arise.

What you might experience

🤔

"I’m feeling stuck, but where do I even begin?"

📝

"What patterns keep coming up?"

😬

"Am I getting anywhere with this?"

😌

"I’m starting to see things more clearly."

😊

"I have new ideas to try."

Getting started guides coming soon...

Are you ready to start self-led enquiry?

We are busy working on detailed getting started guides and individual practice guides to follow.

What you need to know about self-guided enquiry

Wondering how to approach this activity for the first time? Let's compare two different methods: self-led (using online guided sources) or as part of a group (in real life).

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Recommendation for first-timer

Availability

Average cost per session

Special equipment required

Potential for socialisation & community

Safety & skill building

Space or privacy required

Ease of scheduling

Setup time

Active practice time

Unexpected advantages

Ancestry, history, facts and other trivia

Educational podcasts like "TED Talks" often promote self-guided inquiry as a way to explore new ideas.

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” - Albert Einstein

Self-guided inquiry is popular in modern video games that encourage exploration and problem-solving, like "Minecraft.”

Self-guided inquiry is common in fields like astronomy, where amateurs often make discoveries.

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4 facts

Popular memes

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6 memes

Academic research we rate

Association of Self-reflection With Cognition and Brain Health in Cognitively Unimpaired Older Adults

Demnitz-King, H., Gonneaud, J., Klimecki, O. M., Chocat, A., Collette, F., Dautricourt, S., Jessen, F., Krolak-Salmon, P., Lutz, A., Morse, R. M., Molinuevo, J. L., Poisnel, G., Touron, E., Wirth, M., Walker, Z., Chételat, G., & Marchant, N. L. (2022). Association of Self-reflection With Cognition and Brain Health in Cognitively Unimpaired Older Adults. Neurology, 99(13). https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000200951

Efficacy of Self-guided Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in the Treatment of Depressive Symptoms

Karyotaki, E., Riper, H., Twisk, J., Hoogendoorn, A., Kleiboer, A., Mira, A., Mackinnon, A., Meyer, B., Botella, C., Littlewood, E., Andersson, G., Christensen, H., Klein, J. P., Schröder, J., Bretón-López, J., Scheider, J., Griffiths, K., Farrer, L., Huibers, M. J. H., … Cuijpers, P. (2017). Efficacy of Self-guided Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in the Treatment of Depressive Symptoms. JAMA Psychiatry, 74(4), 351. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.0044

Strengthening resilience in over 50’s: a nested clustered-randomized controlled trial of adaptive systematic self-reflection

Crane, M. F., Kho, M., Kangas, M., Griffin, B., Karin, E., Earl, J. K., & Harris, C. B. (2020). Strengthening resilience in over 50’s: a nested clustered-randomized controlled trial of adaptive systematic self-reflection. Anxiety, Stress, & Coping, 33(6), 623–641. https://doi.org/10.1080/10615806.2020.1768375

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7 research pieces

Introduction guides from around the web

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