What is self-awareness? And how can you cultivate it?

When we see something we don’t immediately like in ourselves, our first reaction could be to defend ourselves from it, which is partly why self-awareness is so challenging. But what precisely does it mean to be self-aware? How did it emerge as a venerable trait and how do you cultivate it?

Self-Awareness

‘Self-awareness’ centers on recognizing and managing our emotions

Self-awareness is the recognition of one’s own emotional state at any given point in time
To the degree that we can manage our emotional states, we are better able to manage these other elements of our lives as well

Let your walls down

Let go of judgment and the instinctual urge to protect yourself.

Keep a journal and note what triggers positive feelings

Pay attention to your day and identify any negative feelings associated with the day

Take the ‘third-person’ perspective

Third person is particularly effective for people who are overly self-critical or who trend to be self-destructive

Imagine yourself in that person’s place to improve self awareness, reduce defensiveness, and possibly improve your relationship with that person as well

Self-awareness is a vital skill in a fulfilling life

“In the past, [lack of self-awareness] might have been written off as a benign human quirk,” says Well. “Self-awareness may be the most vital skill we have to navigate our future challenges.”

Duffy adds that “if you can manage your own emotions, you are more than likely able to exert an impact on the emotional vibe of a family, a work situation, or a social encounter.”

Keep checking in with yourself

The most effective method for the development of self-awareness is a pause and brief check-in with oneself

How am I feeling right now? What do I think might be driving that feeling
Carry a list of possible emotions with you as you begin this exercise

Be curious about who you are

To be self-aware, a person needs to be curious about themselves

Look in the mirror – literally

Use mirrors as a meditation tool that increases self-awareness

Keep learning – the journey never ends

Read and learn about the psychology and practices of self-awareness

School of Life is a company that publishes books and novelty card sets that help explain in a very direct, clear and smart way the importance of building self knowledge and the impacts this has on everything else in life

Self-Awareness

We tend to think we’re self-aware – when we’re not

Social scientists have discovered that people often grossly overestimate their level of self-awareness
Many people “feel that they know and understand themselves much better than they actually do.”

Substitute some screen time with people time

We need reflections to develop our sense of self in relation to others

As we spend more time alone and on our devices, we miss this essential human mirroring
The symptoms of lack of mirroring are becoming more apparent in our society: increases in anxiety, lack of empathy and intense self-objectification