Once learnt, these tools are easy to use. Thousands of people have done so, and feel comfortable teaching them to their family and friends. But the techniques are also initially unfamiliar to most. So, have some patience and give yourself a little bit of time to learn.

Do not try to create a thorough, complete, accurate map the first time; do not jump to an action plan for change right away. In fact, I encourage people to use the tools lightly, especially at the start. The first time (or two) that use any of the tools, capture information in an easy-going manner rather than putting pressure on yourself to get things perfect. The data you capture may not be complete or perfectly accurate. That’s okay; allow yourself to get better over time. Likewise, don’t assume your initial reflections and what you think you should do next are perfect. Allow yourself time to see more deeply over time, and to change your mind on what actions you might take.

Once you get comfortable with each tool, feel free to modify it as you wish to better suit your circumstances, your interests. Learning all six tools you will arm you with a rich vocabulary of ways to observe and visualize data, which will make it easier for you to get more creative with your efforts to tailor the tools to yourself.

Do such self-reflection with others, with others from your family and friends, or from your teammates at work or social activities. Each of you using the same tool to explore the same topic, each in your own lives, but coming together to share what you have discovered. Such collective self-reflection is powerful. It will lead to a deeper understanding of yourself and the others, and strengthen your bonds.