The Importance of Self-Awareness

Brett's Blog, Mind-Body http://sheerbalance.com/brettsblog/the-importance-of-self-awareness/

No one is perfect. We all have o r !" ir#s$ and ni" e personalities, and sometimes these can even ma#e s c te, special or endearing to many. %owever, some !" ir#s$ are a bit less attractive, and when they are, self-awareness is somewhat critical in either improving pon them or managing their impact on others. &hat said, many people aren't self-aware or aren't self-aware ()) of the time. Maybe it is someone at the gym who thin#s that all of the e" ipment is his or her very own and doesn't li#e to share. *r, maybe it is a family member who believes that they are always right and that the rest of the world is wrong. *r, maybe yo wor# with a colleague who + st doesn't have any sense of how they bully others. ,ome of these people can prod ce contin al to-icity in o r lives, while others may ca se only a momentary fr stration. Whoever or whatever the case may be, these people are among s. B t why is self-awareness so important. /t ma#es s better people. %ere's why: 0. Empathy. %aving the ability to see when we are wrong or when we have made a mista#e allows s to see other peoples' perspectives and to be empathetic to their sit ation or their feelings. 1. Admission. %ave yo noticed when people aren't self-aware, it is very diffic lt for them to apologi2e or admit that they are wrong. *ften, these people can't even ,33 that they are wrong in the first place. &hey tend to thin# that they are always right and if something doesn't wor# o t as planned, it is always someone else's fa lt. 4. Man in the Mirror. /f we can ac#nowledge o r flaws, we can ma#e positive change to improve pon them. 5nowing is half the battle6and if yo can admit to the " alities that are less than stellar abo t yo rself6yo can change them or improve pon them. 7. Tolerance. When yo can see yo r own fa lts, it is easier to accept others'. 8. Humility. 9nderstanding that we o rselves are not perfect allows s to get off o r high-horses. : rther, #now we can always be better and as a res lt, can be than#f l for the good that does come o r way. ;. Li ability. )et's face it: No one li#es a #now-it-all or an individ al who thin#s they are always right. %aving the ability to see other peoples viewpoints, to be open and fle-ible, and ac#nowledge that yo are not the only person who has the answer ma#es yo a more attractive person. ,o how self-aware are yo . %ere are a few " estions to as#: 0. <o yo listen to others d ring a conversation. *r, do yo tend to do a lot of the tal#ing. 1. <o yo as# others how they feel abo t sit ations. *r, do yo ma#e ass mptions based on yo r own feelings. 4. <o yo thin# abo t how yo r actions affect others. *r, are yo confident that others are fine with how you handle situations. 7. (re yo aware of other people's social c es. *r, do yo mostly foc s on yo r own. 8. =an yo admit when yo are wrong, and have apologi2ed when yo are. *r, do yo tend to thin# that things are wrong or go bad beca se of others.

/f yo answered yes to most of the first " estions in each pair, yo are most-li#ely self-aware. /f yo answered yes to most of the second " estions in each pair, yo probably co ld afford to t ne into other people's reactions and do some inner reflecting. ,elf awareness gives yo the ability to be open, tho ghtf l and aware of how yo impact others. /t is one of the best and most val able " alities yo can have> <o yo thin# yo are self-aware. %ave yo met others who aren't. %ow did they ma#e yo feel. ?ad@Aet-BealC