5 Ways to Improve Self-Awareness

5 Ways to Improve Self-Awareness

At the core of our life skills is the question, who am I? When you are born into this world, you have a clean slate and begin becoming your unique self. Your mind is being developed and shaped daily. You establish the foundation of who you are based on those closest to you, such as family.

However, as you age, life changes as you expand beyond your immediate family.   You develop new friends and relationships, attend school, start a career, raise a family, and take on many responsibilities that begin to affect your identity and personality. With so many changes and influences, losing sight of your unique identity can happen. To help regain focus on your identity, this article will discuss five ways to improve self-awareness to achieve more in life.

We will define self-awareness and discuss the following guidelines to help you better understand yourself. They include:

  1. Understanding yourself is a process
  2. Keep a journal of your experiences
  3. Recognize your values
  4. Be your authentic self
  5. Live an intentional life

I am glad that you are here. Let’s get started with the discussion!

What is self-awareness?

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines self-awareness as “an awareness of one’s personality or individuality.”

By improving your self-awareness, you develop a clearer understanding of yourself. Now, let’s look at ways to make improvements in your self-awareness.

A man sitting in the grass looking out to a beautiful horizon

1. Understanding yourself is a process

Self-improvement and self-growth have become more critical, especially during the COVID pandemic. We were placed in a situation of more isolation from others and were allowed time to reflect more about our lives.

This may have been by accident or incident, but it gave all of us, you and I, an opportunity to take a more inward look at ourselves. Sometimes, looking at ourselves and our imperfections can be scary.

The benefit of looking at ourselves is the awareness of what God has called each of us to do. I like to think of this time as the great reset when the world generally slowed down and began exploring life’s meaning and purpose.

In pursuing our life purpose or calling, we can better understand ourselves, what we are more passionate about, and what we can contribute to improving the world. However, understanding yourself is a transformation process, and it takes time.

2. Keep a journal of your experience

Maintaining a journal is a great way to capture your thoughts and track your responses to daily situations. These experiences are keys to helping unlock your personality and better understand yourself.

You also learn why you do things a certain way, especially when you see the bigger picture involving yourself and others.

Journaling your experiences can provide a gateway to managing relationships, careers, and life. It helps you understand how your life is unfolding and how to change to become a better person.  So, please keep a journal nearby or track your progress each day.

3. Recognize your values

An interesting thing my father told me once was,  “do not let anyone make you go faster than you want to go.”

He told me this as I was learning to drive, and someone was tale gating me.   I was going slightly above the speed limit but started moving faster as I felt rushed by the driver behind me.

What my father taught me at that moment was to slow down and move at my own pace.

Moving at our own pace is also similar to our values in life. But, unfortunately, we sometimes lose sight of our values when we try to follow the crowd, so to speak, and do things that are inconsistent with our values.

Take time to develop your values by reading, learning, and understanding the perspectives of others while thinking for yourself. Then, expand your knowledge and acquire wisdom to make sound decisions based on your values and what you stand for.

4. Be your authentic self

A famous quote from the Gatorade commercial is,  “Be like Mike.”  This is a profound message about life too. We sometimes find ourselves either comparing ourselves to others or trying to be someone we are not.

In all areas of life, both personal and professional, be yourself.

We all have different personalities, talents, and gifts. Some may be more gifted than others, but no one can be better than you at being yourself. Developing a better understanding of yourself through self-reflection and listening to your inner voice can help you distinguish yourself from others.

5. Live an intentional life

Living an intentional life involves risk-taking and evaluating what you are good at. It can also entail pursuing your dreams or passions to open new doors of opportunity. For example, starting a new career, a business, or furthering your education can lead to self-discovery in aligning yourself with what you genuinely enjoy.

It even may cause you to experience self-doubt as you step out of your comfort zone.

To live intentionally is to transform yourself into who you indeed are. This requires courage and a willingness to acknowledge yourself with your natural talents and gifts, which may differ from others.

But the beauty of living an intentional life is that you can follow God’s plan and find peace and happiness. So live life to the fullest. Live intentionally!

Final Thoughts

As we wrap things up, we began this article by asking the question, who am I? This question is a step towards becoming more aware of yourself and transforming your life.

Understanding yourself is a process that does not happen immediately. Instead, it is a continuous process that can help you better understand your personality and develop better decisions in life.   Tracking your life through journaling your progress, recognizing your values, being authentic, and living life intentionally can help you answer who you are for yourself.

Our takeaway is that life is short, and tomorrow is not promised to anyone. Be courageous and live life being self-aware and being yourself,

Thank you for visiting. Please leave comments or share your experiences on what you have done to improve self-awareness.

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