Self-awareness is the recognition of one’s emotional state and tendencies. It is a rare quality and a skill that can positively impact your life and those around you. Research has proven that we are confident when we know ourselves clearly and can make firmer decisions. Being self-aware can help prevent us from making regrettable choices. It can also make us more effective and organized.
There are some myths of self-awareness. Let’s review and reveal the truth.
Common myths of self-awareness:
Myth #1: Taking time to get to know yourself is selfish.
It’s a good idea to take a break from yourself and connect with the people around you and the environment. Take this break at an appropriate time of the day or week so to ensure it’s beneficial. If you have too much as a priority during the week, take this break on the weekend.
It is not selfish to get to know yourself or to learn to understand yourself better. Developing this kind of awareness can make you a more selfless person.
Myth #2: Focusing on oneself is the best and only way to become more self-aware.
In creating awareness of yourself and what you need and want, you must also realize others’ values and needs. This will help you realize priorities in your life along with how you can add value to your life and others.
Myth #3: Self-awareness can’t be improved.
Some people believe that self-awareness is a natural trait that some people have and others do not. However, everyone can improve in self-awareness even if it doesn’t come naturally. Everyone who is self-aware has had to develop this skill over time.
Strength in self-awareness.
Conduct a feedback analysis test for yourself. For instance, note why you made some critical decisions in your life. After several weeks or months, go back to it and analyze the result of your choices.
Did you make thoughtful well-researched decisions, or were your decisions made quickly without much thought?
Has the result gone according to plan? What did you learn about the way that you make decisions?
Strength and weaknesses personality test.
Write down all the things you perceive to be your strengths and weaknesses. Check with someone you can trust and see if their feedback falls in place with your view about yourself.
Practice self-awareness tests online. Many online tests can help you determine how self-aware you are at present. This can be a good basis for growing your ability to understand yourself. If you’d like suggestions for these tests, please leave a comment.
Tips for improving self-awareness:
- Pay attention to what bothers you about other people. It’s often the case that the negative things we find in people are the things we don’t like about ourselves. Getting to know these behaviors can help you act on and overcome them yourself.
- Pay attention when your emotions are the strongest. When something makes you very angry, or sad, or happy, think back to what may have caused that strong emotion. Do you notice a pattern of what might make you feel the way you do? What types of situations make you feel these emotions?
- Discover your blind spots by seeking feedback. You can ask other trusted people how they perceive you. It is easier to get genuine feedback from close friends, family, and spouses. Kind and honest feedback from these people will be essential in improving self-awareness.
Self-awareness is the ability to focus on yourself progressively. It helps to manage oneself and align behaviors to values. It is about learning why you feel the way you do, and understanding how you can improve as a person. You can start now to develop a habit of improving your self-awareness.
Don’t be Perfect. Be Progress.