Reflecting on others reflects well on me

I am currently working on my CMALT  portfolio. What that really means is I am writing a reflective portfolio on what I do in my day job. I used to hate reflective writing but the more I do it the more I see how beneficial it is and am actually beginning to enjoy it (not the parts where I am forced to say how amazing I am, but the parts where I think about what I have done and how it can be better). I am not sure if I have more ideas because I am reflecting or if it is just because I am being forced to write them down that I am actually following through on them. Or even if it is because I am getting out of the office more and talking to other people who understand what I do for a living. 

There is an added element to the reflective practice that is happening for my CMALT and that is the addition of the group element. We are all working on our portfolios a section at a time and sharing them and discussing as we go along. Clearly as a very shy little person (yes really) – this terrifies me… but if it ain’t scary it ain’t worth doing right? I have always been one for just working away on my own and getting stuff done so this sharing business is new thing for me but this week I went over a section of a colleague’s portfolio with a constructively critical eye and wrote notes on what I thought. I then went back to my own work and took the same comments and edited my extremely verbose, waffly section of rubbish and made it into something a lot more coherent not only by listening to my own advice (why people don’t do this more often is a mystery) but by evaluating the things I thought she did well and then applying it to my own work. In a non-plaguiarisy way of course. 

The same colleague also read what I had written and came back with some inciteful and interesting ideas which have helped immensely sharing is good apparently!

“it is much friendlier with two, said Pooh”