Mastering Self-Awareness: 5 Practical Tips to Get You There
Updated: Jan 7, 2024
What if I told you there was a magic pill that could help you solve all of your problems? Surely you wouldn't believe me, but could you believe that 'self-awareness' is almost as good? If you’ve read my previous blog, you already know the life-changing, Transformative Benefits of Self-Awareness. And while it may not be able to solve all of your problems, self-awareness allows you to see how you may be contributing to them, helps you make better decisions about the solutions that are right for you, and opens your eyes to the best course of action to reach your goals. In this blog, we’ll explore 5 actionable strategies for mastering self-awareness so you unlock your full potential, achieve your goals, and transform the negative patterns in your life, into positive ones.
Consider you've noticed some of your friends going through a difficult time:
No matter how hard he tries, Ian has not been able to keep a job in the last 5 years, with his longest lasting only 4 months.
Despite Anna’s six-figure income, her finances have gotten out of control. She tries to stop shopping, but things just keep coming up.
Every relationship Amari has ever had has been toxic and ends in infidelity, even though they believe they’re a great catch and an excellent partner.
James has had several physical altercations and even went to jail once due to road rage but he always has someone else to blame.
As an outsider looking in, it may be easy to identify that these individuals are contributing to their own negative patterns. Still, many of us are unaware of our behaviors and how they create negative cycles in our lives. Sometimes, we don’t even notice the patterns at all, only the frustration, disappointment, and despair we experience as they seem to repeat themselves out of our control. But what if we could take that ‘magic pill’ that helps us identify negative patterns and shows us what we need to do to break free? (Yes, I already revealed there is no pill but stay with me here for just a minute). This pill is called “self-awareness”, and trust me, I can tell you from experience it’s not easy to get. It is free, though, but you’ll have to make it yourself, and it’s not an easy pill to swallow. The good news is that gets easier with time and the rewards are endless!
Read all about the amazing benefits of self-awareness here:
Developing self-awareness will allow you to unlock your truths and have a deeper understanding of the thoughts, feelings, and values that drive your behaviors so you can make positive changes in your life to achieve your goals. Whether you're looking to improve your career, relationships, or personal well-being, mastering self-awareness will provide a foundation for success. So, without further ado, here are 5 actionable strategies to enhance your self-awareness:
1. Identify Your Emotional Triggers
Taking emotional inventory is a great way to increase your self-awareness and improve your emotional self-management. Start by writing down the things that trigger your negative emotions such as anger, sadness, and disappointment. Think about your pet peeves, the things that annoy you most about others, and the regular occurrences in your life that cause stress. Do you hate waiting in long lines, loud people, or being asked your age? Examine your thoughts and beliefs about these situations and consider whether they are true. How can you alter your beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors to achieve better outcomes and reduce or eliminate bad feelings?
Next, take some time to evaluate your triggers for positive emotions. What small things bring you joy, make you feel at ease, make you feel loved, etc.? Repeat the process from above to uncover ways to bring more happiness and positivity into your life. As you can see, learning to understand your emotions will help you better control them so you can respond to the triggers, rather than reacting, and allowing your emotions to control you.
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2. Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a powerful tool that can help individuals achieve heighted awareness because it teaches us to focus on the present moment and observe our thoughts and feelings without judgment. By paying attention to the present moment, we become more attuned to our inner experience and develop a greater understanding of our unique perspectives and tendencies.
To incorporate mindfulness into your daily routine, try setting aside a few minutes each day to meditate or engage in other mindfulness practices, such as deep breathing, body scans, or checking in with your emotions. Another great practice to try, is to pay attention to your surroundings and focus on your breath anytime you start feel unpleasant emotions or anxiety. This can help bring you back the present moment so you can step away from the negative thoughts that typically cause reactive behavior. (Pro tip: this is a great follow up practice once gone through the 'Identify Your Emotional Triggers’ exercise, see #1). Then pause for a moment or take a break if you need it to consider your feelings rationally so you can respond to the situation. Practicing mindfulness is tremendously beneficial when faced with challenging situations, as it can help you stay grounded and in control of your thoughts, emotions, and behavior.
3. Seek Feedback From Others
A third way to increase self-awareness is to invite feedback from others as it can offer valuable insights into our behavior and habits and how they impact those around us. When seeking constructive criticism, it’s essential to actively listen, since any defensiveness can easily obscure the valuable insights being offered, so remember to stay with your breath (see #2). While it’s important to recognize that everyone has their own biases and perspectives, gathering feedback from multiple sources helps us to see ourselves from different angles, and identify patterns or recurring themes in the feedback we receive. By doing so, we gain a more complete understanding of how we are perceived and our impact others so we can work to improve ourselves, our social interactions, and our relationships.
4. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
Having new experiences and taking on new challenges is a great way to open our minds to new perspectives and situations. By doing so, we can gain a deeper understanding of our fears and limitations, as well as our hidden strengths and potential. One of my clients, “Sanha”, who is usually very shy, committed to hosting a dinner party for her neighbors after recently moving to the area. Through this experience, she realized that her usual hesitance to talk was because she feared people would not be interested in what she had to say. Through this experience, however, she discovered that people actually appreciate her unique perspective. When you uncover new things about yourself, it’s important to reflect on your past beliefs and where they might have come from. Sanha eventually realized that her fear stemmed from childhood when her cousins would dismiss her whenever she tried to speak up. By pushing out of her comfort zone and challenging her beliefs, Sanha came to realize these dismissals had little to do with her being uninteresting. Rather, they were more likely just because she was the smallest in her family.
To get the most out of these experiences, it’s important to be present and fully engage in the moment, keeping an open mind and being receptive to the lessons we can learn. The key is to challenge ourselves to do things we never imagined possible, even if it means facing discomfort or uncertainty. It’s important to remember that trying new things is a process, and it’s okay to take small steps at first. With each new experience, we can become more confident, resilient, and self-aware.
With an infinite number of possibilities, have fun with this activity and challenge yourself to do things you never imagined possible. Here’s a brief list of 15 experiences you can try enhance your to self-awareness:
Volunteering for a cause you care about
Going on a solo hike or walk in nature
Attending a new cultural festival or event
Joining a new club or group related to a personal interest
Traveling to a new country or city
Attending a retreat or workshop on personal growth
Taking a class in a new subject, such as a language or art form
Participating in a group fitness class or exercise program
Learning a new musical instrument or dance style
Taking a day trip to explore a nearby town or city
Doing a technology or social media detox for a week or longer
Having a deep conversation with someone you admire or look up to
Going to a comedy club or watching a new type of performing arts show
Trying a new type of outdoor activity, such as kayaking or rock climbing
Starting a new creative project, such as arts and crafts or writing.
5. Keep an Emotion Journal
Journaling is a powerful method to gain clarity on your thoughts and process them more effectively. By taking the time to reflect on our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, we can begin to understand ourselves more deeply. You can use your journal to document your reflections on specific events or experiences, or simply to write down your thoughts and emotions as they arise. Consider questions like, "What did I do well today?" and "What could I have done better?" This can help you identify patterns in your behavior and gain insight into your strengths and weaknesses.
Reviewing your journal entries over time can also help you identify patterns in your behavior and thought processes, and gain a greater sense of self-awareness. By regularly engaging in self-reflection, you can cultivate a deeper understanding of yourself and use this knowledge to make positive changes in your life.
Pro tips:
(1) Let your thoughts flow freely without worrying about grammar or spelling.
(2) Be honest with yourself, try not to judge your thoughts and feelings.
(3) Focus on describing your feelings as vividly as possibly.
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Why Should You Become a Master of Self-Awareness?
When we're not in tune with our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, we may not realize the patterns they are creating in our lives or the impact they have on those around us. While self-awareness may not be a magic pill, it is a critical component of personal growth. The better we become at it, the greater our ability to shape our lives by creating positive changes and working toward goals that align with our true selves. By following the actionable strategies outlined in this blog, you can take the first steps toward greater self-awareness and creating a more fulfilling life. So, go ahead, try out these tips, and see how mastering self-awareness can transform your life.
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Where are you in your journey of self-awareness? Share your story along with your best tips in the comments below. And if you've found this blog enjoyable, use the social share buttons to spread the word and help support our blog.
Mentioned in this article: transformative benefits of self-awareness, reach your goals, mindfulness, defensiveness, comfort zone, confident, journaling
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