I’m a Toastmaster member and one of my projects had to do with emotional intelligence. For my speech I needed to spend two weeks writing in a journal my emotional states, my reactions and feelings in daily situations. I needed to bring awareness to my internal thoughts and emotions, and then I needed to explain what I learned during this time.

Can I tell you a secret? 

I’m not writing my thoughts, reactions and emotions in a journal… 

OK, let me explain that, I am not documenting it in paper, but I’m fully aware of my internal thoughts and reactions because this is the work I’ve been doing for the past years. 

I started my “awareness journey” when I decided to take control of my health, changed my lifestyle and focused on taking care of myself. 

Until then, I knew about emotional intelligence and I knew something about how you can control your emotions and reactions, but I’ve never put it into consistent practice.

When I decided to take control of my health, I started with my diet. It was the first and easiest place to start and the one with more impact. I went all in doing the AIP (Autoimmune Protocol). 

But the AIP is not only about your diet; it’s a whole lifestyle makeover. 

After I changed my diet, I focused in my sleep habits, then in my environment to get rid of toxins, I focused on the type of exercise that was good for me, and during this whole journey, I realized I had to focus as well on my mind and stress, so I started meditating.

When I first started doing meditation, I had no idea if I was doing it right. I focused on my breath; I tried doing it outside just listening to the sounds on my backyard. I listened to guided meditations and I used several apps. 

I was worried that I was not doing it right, I didn't know if I was supposed to get into some mystical space, in a trance, so deep in the meditation that I stop noticing anything else…

As I continued learning more about it and getting more practice, I realized that the whole point of meditation for me was to take a break, to get in silence and just be in my own self. 

I noticed that I was getting calmer, and I was actually craving that time in silence. 

Whenever I had a busy day, I felt the need to meditate before going to sleep.

Every morning I spent at least 15 minutes meditating and I noticed myself less centered if I didn't do it.

So the doubts if I was doing it right or wrong went away. I was starting to see the effects in my life.

Other things that I started noticing after I implemented meditation in my life, was that I was starting to be aware of my thoughts.

I noticed that I had less of the noisy chatter in my mind and I could hear what I was telling to myself. 

I learned to control my reactions to situations, where before I would have just responded immediately without thinking. 

I started noticing the gap that exists between triggers and responses. 

I realized that when someone or something was triggering me I had a split moment where I could choose how to react to the trigger. 

And this, to me, it’s the most powerful result of the meditation practice. 

So, for the Toastmasters project, I’m not writing in my journal, because this is now so engrained that I’m doing it automatically. 

Last week, my hubby and I were talking and as the conversation went on, his voice raised and then he said something that showed his frustration. 

At that moment, I had my split second of choice. 

I could let my own frustration come out and get all upset and raise my voice too.

Or, I could be understanding and know that his feelings are not against me, but against the situation and his own feelings. 

At that split second, I heard my internal voice telling me: “how’s going to help this situation me getting upset?” 

So, aware of my own thoughts and his feelings, I responded calmly. 

And we were able to shift the conversation into a productive talk instead of a fight to see who wins. 

As you see, awareness is key to improve your relationships. 

Awareness brings light to your internal chatter and helps you realize what you think and believe and with that knowledge you can act differently.

So, how do you cultivate and increase awareness in your life? Do you use meditation as a daily practice? Do you listen to motivational talks? Do you spend time in silence to hear yourself? Do you walk in nature?

Let me know in the comments below, what are the practices that help you being aware? 

And, remember to shout it out: “Oh Hell Yeah, I AM aware!”

xoxo,

Sofia