Are you Self Aware? How Do you Accomplish This State of Mind - Body - Spirit
DEFINITION:
Self-awareness is the ability to understand yourself
Perceive and understand the things that make you who you are as an individual, including your personality, actions, values, beliefs, emotions, and thoughts. Tune in to your own feelings, thoughts, and actions2. See how others perceive you and better understand how you see yourself
Self-awareness is the ability to understand oneself, including one's thoughts, feelings, motivations, and behaviors. It is also the ability to recognize how one is perceived by others.
There are two types of self-awareness: (Harvard Study)
Internal and external:
The first, which we dubbed internal self-awareness, represents how clearly, we see our own values, passions, aspirations, fit with our environment, reactions (including thoughts, feelings, behaviors, strengths, and weaknesses), and impact on others. We’ve found that internal self-awareness is associated with higher job and relationship satisfaction, personal and social control, and happiness
The second category, external self-awareness, means understanding how other people view us, in terms of those same factors listed above. Our research shows that people who know how others see them are more skilled at showing empathy and taking others’ perspectives. For leaders who see themselves as their employees do, their employees tend to have a better relationship with them, feel more satisfied with them, and see them as more effective in general.
What does all of this mean? It seems pretty self-explanatory, but it goes much deeper. Also, where do you begin when you decide to go on the “self-awareness” journey.
You have to start at the beginning. Grab a pen and paper and start writing some things down about your childhood. Who were your mentors, and what lessons did you learn along the way. Think about the positive and negative events in your young life, and tap into how your “inner child” felt during those times.
Like I said it is much deeper than grazing the surface, and then thinking you did the work; that is not the case. This is a soul-searching journey with much to learn along the way.
Our first experiences in life teach us so much, and we do not even realize it until we truly look at it all.
Think about it – why do people act the way that they do at times, or how they react to certain situations, its all about the childhood and your personal make up. We all came into this world the same way, but some came crashing in to negative or dysfunctional environments, as other landed softly in the loving arms of family.
This beginning experience alone has the biggest impact on our souls, as we are absorbing everything that is put in our path. The young sponges, as I call it! Youth, they take in all of it, as they are open. Their frequencies are new to this world and open with interest and wonder.
As we grow into adults, we seem to lose this “childlike” way of thinking, as it is replaced with static and responsibilities.
So, were do we go from here – UP…
As you reflect on your past upbringing, the people who you were surrounded by and the experiences you lived, allow yourself to feel the lessons. Write them down if you want the visual. I always believe the visual is the best way to exam things, and even read your words out loud, as your mind and body will validate all of it.
Now, take the next step and look at your life today. How do you see yourself? Acknowledge the good and the bad. Look at what you wish was different and celebrate your accomplishments.
Start to focus on what your true passions are, and take time to think about how you are going to incorporate those things into your every day life. Really take the time, and be HONEST with yourself. (that can be a hard one for all of us, myself included)
You have to be willing to call yourself “out” on your shortcomings and own them. It is from this point that you can start to do the work and unravel the negativity. This takes a lot of self-work, and practice!!!
REMEMBER: Nothing changes unless you step up and do the work for yourself.
You may think it or dream about it, but if you do not “show up” nothing ever changes, and you are stuck running in that circle with seemingly no way out.
I am here to tell you that YES, there is a way out, and it is amazing what a strong mindset and game plan can do.
The more that you learn about who you really are, and why you respond to situations the way that you do: YOU are on your way. Learn about your ticks, quirks and triggers, that is where the juicy details lay. As you pick through it all, the clouds will part and you will gain clarity.
The more that you know yourself, the better you can help yourself achieve all that you want to do in life. Your relationships with other people (personal and professional) will become more positive.
As you are releasing these old negative qualities, you have the opportunity to replace them with new positive ones. The ripple affect is amazing, as you will see the people in your circle sit up and take notice. This gives off the “social que” to follow suit.
THE AGE-OLD SAYING: Hey if he/she can do it, then I can too!
LEAD BY EXAMPLE.
If you really think about it, it is simple and complicated at the same time. When we tap into those old memories of the past, they can be quite painful. Far too many people remain stuck, because they struggle with looking back, so they can move forward.
There is no way around it, you have to do the work if you truly want to be “self-aware”.
Now the big question is - Are you ready to take a journey towards self-discovery?
Are you willing to do the work?
When will you begin?
The time is now – what are you waiting for?
You deserve the best things in life, and that starts out with knowing exactly who you are and why!!
There is a lot of work to be done, so I encourage all of you to get moving asap.
Embrace the Journey towards a better life.
Food for thought!
God Bless,
Lisa Zarcone
Author – Child & Mental Health Advocate – Public Speaker – Social Media Influencer – Blogger
2023 Woman of Impact – Business West Magazine
MA National Ambassador for Naasca
(national association of adult survivors of child abuse)
The Unspoken Truth A Memoir - My childhood
The Book of Joann – My mother’s journey with mental illness
**Even though most people believe they are self-aware, only 10%—15% of the people we studied actually fit the criteria.
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
SELF AWARENESS - YOU HAVE TO DO THE WORK…. LISA ZARCONE