Have you ever felt completely stressed out, anxious, and unsure of what to do next? I don’t know if you’ve ever been in a situation where you felt completely stressed out, anxious and feel like you don’t know what to do next, or what’s the best path forward for you. 

I have been experiencing a little of that lately and the one thing that always helps me whenever I feel lost and stressed out is to stop and ask: What do I really want?  

This seems a simple question, but often is one that we seldom ask and when we do, it feels hard to be honest with ourselves. 

Think about it, when was the last time you allowed yourself to reflect and think about what you really, really, really want? 

When I stopped and asked myself that question, I was able to release some of my stress and anxiety because I finally recognized what I wanted. Asking what I really wanted took away the ambiguity and indecision and gave me a path forward and a goal aligned with my desires. 

You see, self-awareness is a cornerstone of emotional intelligence and a critical component for achieving peak performance. 

And that is why I wanted to talk today about it. Because you have the ability to harness the power of self-awareness, you can use it in your life to help you guiding you towards your goals, to help you decrease stress and anxiety and to live the life that you really want.

Here are a few ways to start understanding yourself better and harness your self-awareness.

1. Embrace Feedback

Seeking feedback isn't always easy, but it can be incredibly enlightening.

• Seek Constructive Criticism: Consider reaching out to people who know you from different areas of your life—colleagues, friends, family members. Ask them to share what they see as your top three strengths and your top three areas for improvement. It's a powerful exercise that can reveal blind spots and open your eyes to new possibilities.

• Reflect on Feedback: Take time to process what you've heard. How does it align with how you see yourself? Are there patterns or surprises? Use these insights to inform your personal growth.

2. Practice Mindfulness

Being present helps you become more attuned to your thoughts and emotions.

• Stay Present: Mindfulness is about waking up from a life of automaticity and being fully present in the moment. It involves attuning to the nuances and novelty within our everyday experiences. Engage in mindfulness practices to enhance your awareness of thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations; practices like meditation or deep breathing. This helps you observe your reactions without judgment. I'll be honest—I struggled with meditation at first. My mind wouldn't quiet down. But over time, I became more aware of my emotions and thoughts, and less reactive.

• Create Space for Reflection: Set aside regular time to reflect on your experiences. Journaling can be a great tool for this. It doesn't have to be elaborate—a few minutes each day to jot down your thoughts can make a big difference.

3. Identify Your Strengths

Knowing what you're good at boosts confidence and guides decisions.

• Strengths Assessment: There are tools that help identify your core strengths. Some of my favorites include:

• Clifton Strength Finder.

• Myers-Briggs type indicator test.

• DISC profile assessment.

• Riso-Hudson Enneagram Type Indicator (RHETI®).

• VIA Character Strengths Survey

• Kolbe® Index.  

• Apply Your Strengths: Once you know your strengths, look for ways to use them daily. It can enhance your performance and increase satisfaction in what you do.

4. Understand Your Emotions

Emotions are complex, but understanding them is key to self-awareness.

• Emotional Regulation: Recognize your emotions and learn how to manage them. This involves understanding triggers and developing strategies to respond constructively. While mindfulness is primarily about awareness and observation, emotional regulation focuses on controlling and managing emotional responses. Meditation helped me notice my emotions; emotional regulation helped me decide how to respond.

• Emotional Journaling: Keeping track of your emotional responses can reveal patterns over time. Techniques like positive self-talk or reframing negative thoughts can also be helpful.

5. Cultivate Empathy

Understanding others enhances self-awareness and relationships.

• Listen Actively: Truly listening to others provides insights into different perspectives. This improves relationships and helps you understand your own reactions, which can inform your self-awareness.

• Engage in Perspective-Taking: Try seeing situations from someone else's point of view. It deepens your understanding of social dynamics and your role within them.

6. Set Personal Goals

Aligning goals with values provides direction and fulfillment.

• Align Goals with Values: Ensure what you're striving for reflects what's important to you. This alignment fosters a sense of purpose.

• Regularly Review Goals: Life changes, and so do we. Periodically assess your goals to make sure they still resonate with who you are.

7. Foster a Growth Mindset

Embracing challenges leads to continuous growth.

• Embrace Challenges: View challenges as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles. This mindset encourages continuous learning and self-improvement.

• Celebrate Progress: Acknowledge your achievements, no matter how small. Recognizing progress reinforces positive behavior and boosts self-esteem.

And a crucial last point: 

8. Recognize Your Greatness

This one's really important. Many of us struggle with accepting praise or acknowledging our own value. But recognizing your strengths and achievements is crucial for self-awareness and personal growth.

Remember that accepting compliments is a form of validation. It reinforces the idea that your hard work and achievements are recognized and valued by others, which can be incredibly affirming and key for increasing your self-awareness. 

When you recognize your own value, you cultivate a positive self-image, which is essential for your overall well-being, a crucial aspect of self-awareness and personal growth.

And, when you receive praise, it opens the door to practicing gratitude. Thanking those who recognize your efforts not only strengthens your relationships but also enhances your emotional well-being.

Conclusion

Self-awareness isn't a destination; it's an ongoing journey. By actively engaging in practices that enhance your understanding of yourself, you can ignite your inner fire, improve your emotional intelligence, and ultimately achieve higher levels of performance and well-being.

Remember, the more you understand yourself, the better equipped you are to navigate life's complexities. We're all figuring it out as we go, and that's okay.

I'm right here on this journey with you.

What's one way you've cultivated self-awareness recently? Feel free to share in the comments—I’d love to hear from you!

And as always, I have a couple of things I’d like to ask you.

One, If you found this helpful, please share with others. I really appreciate that.

And two, if you have comments or a specific topic you’d like to talk about, let me know.

I love hearing from you.

Until next one, take care.

Sofia