A Self-Awareness

Kind, Self-Aware People Can Change the World - On Developing Self-Awareness and Being Self-Aware

Kind, Self-Aware People Can Change the World

/ / Self-Awareness / , , , ,

I’ve consulted for a lot of people in leadership positions and I’ve noticed that many genuinely believe they have to be stern and authoritarian instead of being kind. It’s like they lack any self-awareness about how they affect others. This harsh approach is the result of being sold the narrative that you have to be a hard-charging bully to get anything done, the punitive approach to leadership. We even routinely reward people who do unsavory things, including hurting others.

My modest proposal would be to gradually shift from encouraging harsh behavior to celebrating self-awareness and kindness. There is nothing a severe person can accomplish that a kind person can’t. You can treat people really well and still get amazing results in your personal or professional life. You can do things that uplift others and help build a more beneficial world for everyone.

Kindness is a valuable tool that can inspire and motivate the people around you. The proof is that individuals respond much more positively to praise than they do to criticism or punishment. Praise encourages people to try harder while punishment leads to doing whatever is necessary to avoid more punishment. Our current behavioral model for our personal and professional lives is punitive. What if we shifted to being kind to each other? It might even lead to (gasp) people feeling good about themselves.

If you’re a kind person, keep doing it. You’re a vital resource and a valuable example for the individuals around you. At very least, you demonstrate that people don’t have to be punitive and harsh and that there’s another, more positive alternative. I love consulting for people who value self-awareness because they know how to treat others with empathy and care.

What will you do to develop self-awareness and promote kindness in the world?

Cheers,

Guy

Self-Awareness and Creating Positive Vibes - On Developing Self-Awareness and Being Self-Aware

Self-Awareness and Creating Positive Vibes

/ / Self-Awareness / , , ,

Like anyone who is working on building his or her self-awareness and trying to spread positive vibes in the world, my patience and interpersonal skills are often tested. I recently went through a really challenging experience where a series of negative things happened over a period of several days. At the end of the ordeal I was left with a stark choice:

  1. Fight.
  2. Move on and live kindly and peacefully.

Regrettably, I initially chose number one and it took an awful toll on me. I felt like I was creating all kinds of negative energy; making not only myself but others unhappy. I struggled with my feelings about the situation and finally discovered what was bothering me so much: I was creating negative vibes instead of living my life how I really want to, with self-awareness, kindness, and grace.

As a thinking, feeling person, I had the ability to behave any way I wanted and I chose a less than wonderful course of action. When I realized that I was acting in a way that wasn’t leading down a positive path, I consciously moved in a more self-aware, beneficial direction. This deliberate decision not only made my life easier but also created a better world because there was one less person creating negative energy, me.

I love consulting for people who value self-awareness because they try to understand how their thoughts and actions actions affect other people and the world in general. They also work hard to build a better world for themselves and others. What will you do to develop self-awareness and create positive vibes?

Cheers,

Guy

Self-Awareness Helps You Expect the Unexpected - On Developing Self-Awareness and Being Self-Aware

Self-Awareness Helps You Expect the Unexpected

/ / Self and Self-Awareness, Self-Awareness, Self-Consciousness / , , ,

As you work on your self-awareness you’ll often find that things don’t go exactly as planned. The key to success is to expect that things will change and that not everything will go your way. When you let go of the need to control events and people you’ll be flexible enough to deal with any challenge. It will also allow you to be less stressed-out when things don’t go the way you anticipated.

When you expect the unexpected, you open yourself to experiencing new things and learning along the way. Even the most difficult experience brings with it some kind of insight and knowledge. The trick is to see these temporary detours in life as opportunities for growth instead of unwelcome or catastrophic events.

The next time something unexpected happens in your life, take a deep breath and remind yourself that you’re able to handle anything and that you’ll always encounter things you hadn’t planned. Let go of the need to control everything and learn from what’s happening. Don’t forget that change is a natural part of life.

What will you do to develop self-awareness and expect the unexpected?

Cheers,

Guy

Self-Awareness and Tapping into Your Creativity - On Developing Self-Awareness and Being Self-Aware

Self-Awareness and Tapping into Your Creativity

/ / Self and Self-Awareness, Self-Awareness, Self-Consciousness / , ,

People who lack self-awareness think that they have to be artists in order to be creative but anyone can use this skill to create success in their lives. Being creative simply means creating something where there wasn’t something before. It helps us tap into doing the things we love and exploring new avenues. Creativity can help us get out of a rut and discover new and exciting pursuits. Think of the following ideas when you are ready to increase self-awareness and get creative:

1. What do you love doing?
2. What can you create right this moment?
3. How could creating that thing improve your life?
4. How will you feel after you create this thing?
5. What will you do to continue being creative?

You will notice that these questions are designed to help you think about your creativity. Remember that there are no right or wrong answers or good or bad approaches. You get to decide what you want to work on and where you want to go. Take it easy on yourself: start with small steps and gradually work on bigger projects. The act of tapping into your creativity regularly will help you come up with ideas that could change your life.

What will you do to develop self-awareness and celebrate your creativity?

Cheers,

Guy

Self-Awareness Helps You Heal a Broken Heart - On Developing Self-Awareness and Being Self-Aware

Self-Awareness Helps You Heal a Broken Heart

/ / Self and Self-Awareness, Self-Awareness / , , , / 2 Comments

Self-awareness can help you deal with a broken heart because, when you understand yourself deep inside, you’re able to celebrate the good things about you and heal the parts that require extra care. When you’re in touch with your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, you’re better able to deal with any relationship situation.

Perhaps you’ve had your heart broken by a parent, friend, relative, co-worker, or significant other. You can gain a lot of strength from how you deal with these hurts. It’s perfectly natural to be hurt, and how you deal it will lead you down the path toward having a healthy or failing heart.

The way you treat your heart can affect many areas in your life. Imagine if you could never recover from and insult or a break-up, you’d spend the rest of your life being miserable. Your heart follows your actions, you can choose to stay stuck in pain and misery or be kind to your heart and do things to move in a more positive direction. You have the ability to become more self-aware and change your behavior consciously, a skill that comes in handy when tending to your heart.

The next time your heart hurts ask yourself some questions that will help you move in a positive direction, like:

  • What is hurting me?
  • What can I do to improve how I feel and take care of myself?
  • What can I do to interrupt the pattern that keeps me stuck with a hurting heart?

When you discover why you are hurting, you then are able to do something differently. Our hearts often hurt because we have not yet learned how to mend them and nurse them back to health. Some people carry this hurt their entire lives. Much as an unhealthy heart can keep you from running a marathon, it can also keep you from enjoying a great relationship.

When you learn how to care for your heart, you can then enjoy it in all its healthy glory. What will you do to develop self-awareness and heal your heart?

Cheers,

Guy

Superficial People Lack Self-Awareness - On Developing Self-Awareness and Being Self-Aware

Superficial People Lack Self-Awareness

/ / Self and Self-Awareness, Self-Awareness, Self-Consciousness / , , ,

People who lack self-awareness show the world a superficial face while they boil under the surface. You can tell this is the case by how quickly they react to perceived attacks, withdraw when confronted or get uncomfortable when touchy subjects come up. We’re not accustomed to dealing calmly and candidly with the deeper issues in life, the things that really matter. Here are some examples of the concepts you’ll encounter when you look at yourself in more detail:

  • How you treat yourself.
  • How you treat others.
  • Whether you are living your dreams.
  • What kind of a person you are.
  • Whether you let life happen to you or take control of your destiny.
  • How confident you really are.
  • What kind of relationships you build.
  • Whether you practice self-awareness and take a careful look at how you feel, think and behave.
  • How you deal with the issues that cause you fear or discomfort.
  • Whether you live life authentically or settle for being someone else.

Examining issues like these openly and honestly is a vital part of building self-awareness. Consciously understanding yourself and being willing to work hard on being the most whole person possible will bring you the greatest happiness and success in life.

What will you do to develop self-awareness and look below the surface?

Cheers,

Guy

Self-Awareness Helps You Be Happy - On Developing Self-Awareness and Being Self-Aware

Self-Awareness Helps You Be Happy

/ / Self and Self-Awareness, Self-Awareness, Self-Consciousness / , , ,

Imagine living a life where you possess self-awareness and think and act in ways that bring you deep joy and fulfillment. When you understand yourself deep inside, you’re more likely to enjoy who you are and experience the world positively. Here are ten things you can do starting right now to be happy:

  1. Forgive yourself and others.
  2. Do meaningful work that reflects your real passions.
  3. Let go of the need for things to turn out a certain way.
  4. Make sure what you say matches what you do.
  5. Treat yourself and others with kindness.
  6. Help others, including people you don’t know.
  7. Praise someone.
  8. Give someone a hug.
  9. Tell someone you love him or her, tell yourself too.
  10. Heal your hurts.

When you do these things you’ll be connecting on a more meaningful level with yourself and others as well as building self-awareness. The trick is to consciously do positive things every day that lead you toward happiness. The more you do it, the better you’ll feel.

What will you do to develop self-awareness and be happy?

Cheers,

Guy

The Self-Awareness Guy