Let’s be honest, self-reflection is tough. Given the choice of mulling over the virtues and vices of the latest American Idol contestants or pondering those of ourselves, we’d pick the former without skipping a beat.

But we Jews are not about to get off so easily — especially since the second night of Passover officially kicked off the Omer, the 49-day countdown that will culminate with the celebration of Shavuot, (May 22-24), when we commemorate G-d’s gift of the Torah to the ancient Israelites.

This seven-week period is, like the spring in which it arrives, a journey of growth and renewal.

According to the mystical Jewish tradition of Kabbalah, during the cycle of the Omer it is considered a mitzvah to take a hard look at ourselves and objectively examine how we size up in light of the seven essential drives and traits of the human heart: discipline, kindness, compassion, humility, leadership, endurance and bonding.