Self-Awareness is the First Step in Your Journey
Self-awareness is an extremely powerful and often undervalued characteristic that is essential to self-growth. Think about it, if we are not aware of our flaws, how are we supposed to fix them to improve and become the best version of ourselves. On the other side of the coin, if we are not aware of our strengths, how can we ever utilize them to reach our full potential and become great.
What is Self-Awareness?
The dictionary definition of self-awareness is the conscious knowledge of one’s own character, feelings, motives, and desires. The keyword here is:
Conscious.
Self-awareness must be a conscious effort where you are actively alert of the person you are. This means understanding both your good habits and bad habits. Your strengths and weaknesses. What is within your comfort zone and what is outside of it.
Self-awareness is reflective. Your focus is within yourself. It has nothing to do with anybody else. Others might tell you one thing or another about you, but it is ultimately up to you to be self-aware enough to decide if it is true or not.
You need to know yourself better than anybody else.
The Fear of Being Self-Aware
In a lot of ways, self-awareness is fear-provoking. This is because no person feels comfortable admitting their flaws – at least not at first. We want to believe, even subconsciously, that we are good and better than most. To point out everything wrong with us can be hurtful, demoralizing, and a hard pill to swallow.
However, keep in mind that acknowledging your weaknesses, bad habits, and things that you do not like about yourself is not the same as accepting them.
For example, you can acknowledge that you are bad at financial decision-making. However, that doesn’t mean that you need to accept that is how you will be forever. The first step is to realize this, and from there you can take the necessary steps to overcome it and change your trajectory.
Also, keep in mind that self-awareness is not only acknowledging our flaws but also helping us to recognize what we excel at. This can help us use our strengths to our advantage and find what we are good at, what we enjoy doing, and more.
The Pros to Self-Awareness
While beginning the introspective journey of self-awareness can be scary at first, it is filled with overwhelmingly positive outcomes. The pros to becoming self-aware include:
- Amplifying your strengths by knowing what you are good at.
- Finding your purpose when you realize what you really want out of life and what is important to you.
- Working on your weaknesses by acknowledging they exist.
- Strengthening your values and surrounding yourself with those that hold similar values.
- Being more honest with both yourself and others.
- Increasing self-control due to a better understanding of who you are.
- Having control over your emotions because you are more intune with your feelings.
These are only some of the many benefits self-awareness rewards us with. While it can be difficult to look in the mirror and admit who we are and where we are in life currently, it is essential to help us grow as a person. Take the first step today and start living a more aware life.
Best,
Eric
