By: Imgbian Caleb

Self-awareness is the ability to recognize and understand your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It involves being aware of your strengths and weaknesses, as well as how your actions and behaviors impact others. Self-awareness is an important aspect of emotional intelligence, as it allows individuals to better understand their own emotions and how they are perceived by others.

Internal and outward self-awareness are the two basic types of self-awareness. Understanding your ideas, feelings, and ideals falls under the category of internal self-awareness, but understanding how others see us and the effects of our actions falls under the category of outward self-awareness. In this article, we shall look at the importance of being self-aware and how to become self-aware.

The Power of Self-Awareness

As you grow older, the more you will realize being self-aware is an important aspect of personal growth and development. Below are some reasons why self-awareness is important:

• Better decision-making: Being self-aware makes it easier for you to make choices that are consistent with your priorities, values, and ambitions. You have a higher chance of choosing things that are best for you because you are more aware of your biases and limitations.
• Improved relationships: You can better understand your own emotions and how they affect the interactions you have with others when you are self-aware. Your ability to express your wants and feelings and empathize with others will improve.
• Enhanced self-esteem: You can more clearly identify your strengths and flaws when you are self-aware. As a result of being more able to recognize your special traits and accomplishments, this might cause an improvement in self-confidence and self-esteem.
• Increased resilience: You can better handle stress and adversity if you are self-aware. You are better able to handle difficulties and setbacks when you are conscious of your own emotions and reactions.
• Improved leadership: Effective leaders have a strong sense of self. Being Self-aware makes it easier to lead with empathy, communicate clearly, and forge enduring bonds with your team.

Learning to be Self-aware is a crucial talent that can help you succeed on the job and in your relationships while also enhancing your general well-being. You can better understand yourself and others and make decisions that are consistent with your values and objectives by growing self-awareness.

How to Improve Self-Awareness

Practicing mindfulness and meditation are effective ways to improve self-awareness. Mindfulness meditation allows individuals to shift their awareness from the external world to their inner world, helping them become more aware of their thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. By cultivating a regular mindfulness practice, individuals can learn to hit the ‘’pause button’’ before reacting impulsively and gain a deeper understanding of their thought patterns and emotions. This increased self-awareness can lead to greater emotional regulation and improved overall well-being.

Journaling and self-reflection. These are also powerful tools for improving self-awareness. Writing down your thoughts and feelings can help individuals gain insight into their behavior and patterns of thought. By reflecting on their experiences and emotions, individuals can become more aware of their own biases and beliefs, leading to increased self-awareness and personal growth. Additionally, regularly reviewing past journal entries can help individuals track their thoughts and progress and identify patterns in their behavior.

• Seeking feedback and constructive criticism from others can also improve self-awareness. Asking for specific feedback from colleagues or friends on communication style, interpersonal skills, or other areas of improvement can provide valuable insights into one’s own behavior and thoughts patterns. Additionally, assuming the best in others and focusing on specific areas of improvement can help individuals constructively receive feedback and avoid becoming defensive. By incorporating these techniques into our daily routine, individuals can improve their self-awareness and achieve personal growth and development.

You can join us at The Love Story in one of our many journaling sessions to develop the habit of journaling. All you need to have is a device that has access to the internet so you can hit the link below.

Begin Journaling Here

References

Betz, M. (2022, september 14). What is self-awareness, and why is it important? Better up.  https://www.betterup.com/blog/what-is-self-awareness

Celestine, N. (2021, November 13). How to begin your self-discovery journey: 16 best questions. Positive psychology. https://positivepsychology.com/self-discovery/

Hugo. (2023, January 29). 3 Tips to journal for self-awareness (and How it Works). Tracking Happiness. https://www.trackinghappiness.com/self-awareness-journal/