Build your self-awareness

self-awareness

People of the world don’t look at themselves,

and so they blame one another.

Are you really interested in seeing some changes in your life? You can begin making the changes you desire by building up your self-awareness. Self-awareness is a self-conscious state where you focus on yourself and your well being. Self-awareness is the process of acknowledging not only your strengths, but your weaknesses as well. Becoming self-aware involves listening to your body and your feelings and taking action based on what you hear.

If you were tuned into your body, you would not have to think twice about saying no to that extra piece of cake or to staying up late. The more in tune you become with your body, the more often you will respect it. Self-awareness is a process, and not an overnight fix. The more you do it, the better you will become at it.

How? Here are a few pointers to get you started:

1. Reflect on who you are and who you would like to become.

While it is important for you to notice your faults and weaknesses, it is equally as important that you acknowledge your strengths. The better you understand yourself, the better you are able to accept yourself as you are, or change the things you would like to be different. Self-awareness requires you to be completely honest with yourself and have the courage to change the things that you can.

A full recognition of yourself gives you the opportunity to become the self-fulfilled person that you are destined to be. Looking deep within yourself, you will find the vast array of character traits that make you unique. That make you, you! Begin by acknowledging the positive things. This will strengthen and encourage you as you begin to face the your less favorable character traits without abandoning this new venture.

On the other hand, when evaluating your strengths, be careful not to let your ego get the best of you. If you make the mistake of either magnifying your strengths or your weaknesses, you cannot possibly get a realistic picture of yourself. Until you take the time to examine the truth of who you are, you cannot move into the person you wish to become.

2. Pay attention to your likes and dislikes. All too often, people make life-changing choices without acknowledging deeply rooted personal preferences. Before you embark on a journey to the goals for your future, have a complete awareness of the things you especially enjoy and those you prefer not to have associated with your life.

3. Face inward. During your self-awareness process, think about your true motivations, your dreams, fears and stressors. Give voice to the “why” you are interested in making these changes. Think openly about why you feel the way you do, then you can make plans to begin to work toward overcoming your inner struggles.

4. Ask for opinions. Talk to the people who know you best, and really listen to what they have to say about what they see as your dominant character traits and motivations. Ask them to be completely, brutally honest with you and be prepared to take in their opinions. Accept the way your loved ones see you as part of this process. Consider their opinions and add your own analysis to it in order to see the fuller picture of who you are. Yes, be open to their opinion, but do not discount what you see in yourself. Use both sources of feedback to see the whole you more clearly.

Self-awareness is a necessary part of developing your self-esteem and making the changes that you desire. If you want to grow more as an individual, begin with a complete and honest picture of who you are now. This total awareness will start your journey to becoming the best you can be.

Thoughts?

Photo Credit: Leonard John Matthews via Compfight cc