Self-Awareness

Self-Aware People Are Good Listeners - Change Your Life through Self-Awareness

Self-Aware People Are Good Listeners

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Most of us say that we’re good listeners, but self-aware people really are because they know how to get out of the way and simply listen to others without overreacting or getting defensive. Here are some examples of what good listeners do so you can see how you’re doing:

1. Don’t talk.
2. Nod and prompt the other person to say more.
3. Ask open ended questions that don’t have yes or no answers.
4. Lean forward and look interested.
5. Don’t talk.

How many of these do you do? Really listening means practicing self-awareness and listening for meaning. We all understand words but do we really understand what the other person is feeling. Pay attention to what the other person looks like when they talk. Do they look upset, do they look confused? Ask questions that help the other person talk more.

If you try some of these you might find you learn a lot about the other person. I also encourage people I coach to try conversations where they don’t talk at all and just nod. It’s amazing what we can learn when we don’t talk.

What will you do to develop self-awareness and listen more?

Cheers,

Guy

Self-Awareness Requires Looking at Yourself - Change Your Life through Self-Awareness

Self-Awareness Requires Looking at Yourself

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It’s nearly impossible to increase your self-awareness if you’re unwilling to take an honest look at yourself. A lot of people stumble on this point because they think that it means tearing themselves down or making themselves feel worse. In actuality, taking a look at yourself is the process of discovering who you are. It means finding out what you do well and what needs some attention.

If you’re afraid of examining who you really are, think of it this way: All you’re doing is looking at the things you do well and the things that you could improve to live an even happier life. Self-awareness is about understanding yourself clearly and becoming the best version of you possible.

It’s only through careful and thoughtful examination of your thoughts and behaviors that you’ll be able to decide where you want to go. Taking a look at yourself means you’re willing to work on the things that will make you more effective.

What will you do to develop self-awareness and continue to look at yourself?

Cheers,

Guy

It Doesn't Matter What Others Think of You If You're Self-Aware - Change Your Life through Self-Awareness

It Doesn’t Matter What Others Think of You If You’re Self-Aware

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A major element of self-awareness is understanding that it doesn’t matter what others think about you. There are people who will never appreciate what you do, regardless of how great you are or how much you try to explain it to them.

Some people will write you off because you don’t follow their rules or guidelines or don’t conform to their insatiable need to have everyone be like them. Other critics will come from a profound lack of creativity where they have denied their own muse and are out to make sure nobody produces anything beautiful. You may also encounter naysayers who won’t pay any attention to your work because they have some kind of power trip going on where they have to put you down to make themselves feel more powerful.

There will be plenty of people who don’t get what you do, and that’s OK. As a person who is building self-awareness, your task is to find those who understand and value who you are. They’re out there at this very moment, waiting to connect with you. These are the people for whom your life’s work will resonate and be meaningful, the ones who will support you because you make sense to them.

What will you do to develop self-awareness and move past the people who don’t appreciate you?

Cheers,

Guy

15 Examples of the Importance of Self-Awareness - Change Your Life through Self-Awareness

15 Examples of the Importance of Self-Awareness

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Here are fifteen examples of the importance of self-awareness:

  1. You get to live life as the real you.
  2. You learn more about who you really are deep down inside.
  3. You avoid the pain and discomfort that comes from living a life that isn’t really yours.
  4. You can work on healing your hurts instead of ignoring or trying to suppress them.
  5. You become a healthier person.
  6. You are nicer to yourself and others and you contribute to making the world a better place.
  7. New opportunities present themselves because you’re living as the authentic you.
  8. People like you for who you are, not whom you pretend to be.
  9. You build healthier relationships.
  10. You get along with others.
  11. Life flows more smoothly because you’re not constantly fighting with yourself and others.
  12. You get to be more fulfilled and happier.
  13. You’re able to feel your emotions and deal with them positively.
  14. You take action instead of reacting to everything.
  15. Your thinking matches your actions.

There are many benefits to developing self-awareness but the biggest one is being at peace with yourself and the world around you. Imagine living your life happily and peacefully instead of just trying to survive each day. What would you add to this list?

Cheers,

Guy

Self-Awareness Dating Tips - Change Your Life through Self-Awareness

Self-Awareness Dating Tips

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People who possess self-awareness have an easier time dating because they understand their and others’ emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. This allows them to enter relationships with a clearer view of what’s really going on inside themselves and the other person. So, let’s look at some ways you can be more self-aware and enjoy dating.

One proven way to find dates is to work on yourself first and do the things you love. When you work on yourself and do things you love you begin moving your life in a direction where you move amongst people who have interests like yours. Find what it is that really makes you happy and move in those circles. In that way, you increase your chances of meeting someone who actually shares your interests and philosophy.

Get yourself as self-aware and healthy as possible and you will attract the same. The better you feel about yourself the more it wards off the people who love misery. You attract what you project.

A final thought. I realize we are in an online environment here but there is a lot to be said for giving up the safety and fantasy of sitting at a computer for the greater challenge of meeting people face to face. Get out there and show people who you are in person, you deserve a healthy, rewarding relationship.

What will you do to develop self-awareness and date more effectively?

Cheers,

Guy

Are You Living a Self-Aware, Creative Life? - Change Your Life through Self-Awareness

Are You Living a Self-Aware, Creative Life?

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Self-awareness and creativity go hand in hand because, when you understand your own emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, you are able to draw upon them to think unconventionally and inventively.

Creativity is one of the most effective ways to overcome any challenges in our lives. Moving in a different direction is often a matter of thinking creatively and doing something differently. Here’s what some smart people say about creativity:

Albert Einstein:

The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.

Arthur Koestler:

Creativity is a type of learning process where the teacher and pupil are located in the same individual.

Beatrix Potter:

Thank goodness I was never sent to school; it would have rubbed off some of the originality.

Being self-aware and creative is wonderful because you get to experience life to its fullest; with passion, courage, and always open to new ways of seeing things. You also get to explore exciting possibilities you might not have encountered if you were stuck being unimaginative. What will you do to develop self-awareness and enjoy a creative life?

Cheers,

Guy

Self-Awareness and Dealing with Your Feelings - Change Your Life through Self-Awareness

Self-Awareness and Dealing with Your Feelings

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When you possess self-awareness, you’re able to live in harmony with your feelings. A common deathbed regret is that people wish they had dealt with their feelings instead of trying to ignore or cover them up. It’s vital to feel your feelings so you can live a healthy, happy life. When you don’t experience your feelings, you cut off a huge part of who you are. We are all feeling beings with a wide range of emotions.

Much damage has been done to people by societal norms that minimize feelings but what could be more normal than acknowledging what you feel inside? If you’re sad, you’re sad. If you’re scared, you’re scared. If you’re happy, you’re happy. There’s no mystery to feelings, they’re just natural states of being that your brain and body produce.

My years of helping people build self-awareness have taught me that feelings have to be recognized and dealt with, you can never ignore them. That sadness you feel will never completely go away unless you deal with it. Feelings are so important to your well-being that you literally can’t live a truly happy life unless you understand how to manage them positively.

How can you begin feeling your feelings? Each time one comes up, acknowledge it. Simply realize that, no matter how uncomfortable they may be, you can handle them and they are a natural part of you. The key to living a happy life is to gradually heal the difficult feelings and emphasize the positive ones.

What will you do to develop self-awareness and feel your feelings?

Cheers,

Guy

The Self-Awareness Guy