Ways to improve your self-awareness

Photo by Dingzeyu Li on Unsplash

Self-awareness is the trigger that we need in order for us to seek self-improvement. Without this, we will always be on our autopilot mode not realizing the opportunity and our full potential that we are losing.

In my recent post about benefits of self-awareness, I have discussed a deep understanding on what self-awareness is and what are the benefits that we gain from it. Now, I have listed down some ways that we can use in order for us to become more self-aware.

1. Meditation

Almost everyone knows that meditation has tons of benefits but only few people practice this. Meditation is one of the ways you can do daily to be more self-aware, whenever you are meditating you are also doing mindfulness. Processing your thoughts and feeling helps you to understand yourself more.

I have quoted this paragraph from Headspace regarding meditation and mindfulness:

One positive side effect of practicing awareness meditation is that we begin to see ourselves more clearly through the process. By quieting the noise and witnessing our thoughts without judgment or inner commentary, we can become more intimate with ourselves, our needs, our desires, and our limitations. With this self-knowledge comes the ability to make smarter choices that positively impact our lives and our world.

Being self-aware thru mindfulness allows us to be good at decision making, and better decision means better life. Meditation allows us to scan our thoughts and know ourselves more.

2. Journaling

I have been journaling since 2017, there are a lot of benefits that you can get from doing this. I am able to get a deeper understanding of my self, and understand my train of thoughts before. It also help me see some patterns and insecurities that I have before. This helps me to identify what are the things that I need to improve to myself.

If you haven’t tried journaling give it a try. It is also a habit that you have to build and takes some time to create. Putting your thoughts on the paper allows you to step back and process your thoughts more logically and not clouded by any emotions.

3. Getting regular feedback

Getting regular feedback from the people you trust allows you to improve you external self-awareness. Looking at the lens of other people towards you helps you see the flaws that you need to improve. Our mind tells us that ourselves are the main the character of our life, we often overlook a lot of stuff that can helps us see that stuff (e.g., attitudes, behavior, belief) that can help us grow and improve.

Whenever you ask someone a feedback, you have to be open minded and just listen. Tell yourself, that you don’t have to defend yourself but rather expose yourself in understanding “What other people is seeing from you”. This helps you be more open-minded and find the improvements that you can do for yourself.

4. Challenging your opinions and beliefs

Confirmation bias happens when people tend to look for justification rather than the truth by looking for evidence that will support their opinion, although it’s not necessarily right or wrong. And usually, we ignore the evidence against our opinion, no matter if it’s right or wrong.

We are often clouded by our own opinions and beliefs, one way to be more self-aware is to question our beliefs and values. Having an open-minded and understanding that everyone has confirmation bias, helps us to question even our own opinions.

This helps us to step back and understand the situation on a different lens.

5. Know your core values

Your core values are the principles that guide your life. They’re the “why” behind all what you say and do. And, when it comes to enhancing self-awareness, identifying those core values is key. “When you’re clear on your values, you know more about what you’re seeking [in life]—as well as what you’re not,”

You will less likely be swayed or just follow what the crowd is doing. This gives a more sense of deeply knowing “who you are”, regardless of any flaws that you might see from yourself.

Final Thoughts

There are other tons of ways in order for us to be more self-aware. We have to understand that this doesn’t come overnight and we need to watch ourselves more in order for us to not get caught on out autopilot mode.

Self-awareness is the first step towards self-improvement and success, without it you will not be able to reach the best things that life is giving you.