Most of us can describe ourselves reasonably well, including our strengths, weaknesses, likes, and dislikes. But a recent Harvard Health study concluded that only 10 to 15 percent of their research group knew themselves as well as they believed they did. Let’s see what we can do to shift that, and tap into your hidden potential!
What is self-awareness?
Self-awareness can be described as the ability to be self-reflective. This involves being able to do the following:
- observe your sensations, thoughts, feelings, and behavior
- discern patterns and themes
- recognize your impact, both actual and potential
What are the benefits?
Increased self-awareness can lead to many benefits:
- better understanding of your reactions
- increased attunement to physical and emotional health
- improved ability to see choices and make decisions
- increased ability to maximize your energy and time
Where to begin
Self-awareness can begin with noting sensations—the experience of walking barefoot, a subtle yet persistent headache, a breeze brushing your skin, the taste of a sour fruit. Our bodies are continuously offering information about our physical and emotional state.
Breath
There are countless breathing techniques available with which you can experiment. Find what works for you with respect to grounding, ease, increased awareness, and sustainability. The bonus is that all of these approaches can reduce physical symptoms of stress and anxiety, increase relaxation, and strengthen immune system response.
Reflection
Reflection means the conscious observation of your life, all the way from the meaning of existence to the discomfort of a hangnail. However, once we become aware of something, especially if it’s concerning, we humans tend to leap to apologizing, blaming, or fixing, without actually reflecting. For true reflection, it’s most helpful to hold off on action and first really take in what you’re observing. From this place, you can be responsive rather than reactive.
Shadow
Shadow is any aspect of ourselves that we do not know or acknowledge. Consider something you dislike in others, something you’ve been criticized for, or something you’re shy to talk about. Acknowledging your Shadow parts can be freeing.
Meditation and prayer
You can explore numerous spiritual paths and wisdom traditions to support this journey. They tend to share common foundations—self-knowledge, compassionate inquiry, kindness, and self-responsibility. This type of practice can enhance your awareness of being part of something greater or beyond your individual being.
Feedback
Regardless of how rigorously we attempt to understand ourselves, there will always be aspects we do not see. This is where feedback can help us, so long as we’re game to hear what folks have to say.
We all have blind spots, and those around us may have observations that can shed light on them. A tip is to receive feedback as information to consider, rather than criticisms or compliments. There may be some hidden gems!
By Carole Ames