Self-awareness happens when we direct our attention to what we think, feel and experience, how we impact others and how these things fit with our values. Self-awareness is at the root of a strong character. Research suggests people who see themselves clearly are more confident, more creative, make better decisions, build stronger relationships, communicate more effectively and are just happier. Self-awareness is a critical emotional intelligence skill and has the power to change your life.
Summer is a great time for self-reflection. The great outdoors beckons, allowing us the space and time to think about how both our internal self awareness (strengths and weaknesses) and our external self-awareness (how the world sees us.) This is the starting point for self-improvement.
The caution for self-reflection is not to ask “why” questions, “Why did I do that?” and instead ask “what” questions, “What can I do differently?” “Why “questions look to the past and introduce personal bias, while “what” questions help you move forward in a positive way.
As always, if you need help sorting through life's difficulties, call One Source EAP at 1 (800) 300-0628. Calls are answered 24/7/365 and are completely confidential.
Three Ways to Be More Self Aware
Self-awareness takes practice on a regular basis. But like any exercise, you’ll get the most out of it when paying attention to good form. Below are our favorite ways to flex your self-awareness muscles:
- Meditate to become present in the moment. Ask yourself ...
“What am I trying to achieve?“
“What am I doing that is working?”
“What is slowing me down?”
“What can I do to change?” - Write down your key plans and priorities, then track your progress.
- Ask trusted friends how you come across to others.
One Source EAP Can Help Your Self-Awareness Journey!
One Source EAP provides seminars to help your team become more self-aware, which can lead to better communication and stronger teams. Seminars such as “Power of Self-Awareness,“ “Yoga & Mindfulness” and “Developing Emotional Intelligence” can jumpstart the self-awareness journey. Schedule a seminar for your team. Learn about the wide range of Seminar topics on our seminar page on our website.
Many of our Calm Collections videos, including “Journey to the Beach” provide a guide to meditation and self-reflection. Check out all of The Calm Collection videos.
