Want to become more self-aware? Do this daily.
Hello, my self-aware kings, queens, and jokers. If you’re reading this you’ve already got a leg up on your competition.
Just kidding, the path toward self-awareness is not a battle of peers, it is a war of individuality—On guard!
Those in search of the tools to cultivate healthy self-awareness will be delighted by this article. It’s straightforward, yet science-y and action-based.
Let’s proceed together, shall we?
What is self-awareness?
Great psychologists, philosophers, and mindset masters have defined and redefined self-awareness, but for me, it’s come down to this: self-awareness is the radical journey of getting back to yourself. It’s the vow to take ownership of your life and to ignite your inner truth. To know thy-self.
How often do you attribute your successes, failures, actions, and emotions to circumstances outside of yourself? Well, self-awareness is the opposite of that. In fact, it is cultivating the ability to look internally rather than externally.
It’s the ability to focus on yourself (not in a narcissistic or self-centered way), in a way that allows you to clearly see your own values, passions, aspirations, and dreams.
What’s the benefit of being more self-aware?
For a better life! Okay, but seriously. There are so many reasons to improve your self-awareness. Here are just a few hard-hitting examples:
Being able to regulate your emotions
Better communication
More confidence
Higher levels of happiness
Improved relationships
Better job satisfaction and leadership skills
Most of all, creating self-awareness allows you to better understand your true and authentic self, or who you are at your core.
Focusing inward allows you to discover the things that light you up, what makes you feel angry or jealous, and any little thing that pulls at your heartstrings. For me, it’s old men who ride Vespas, but that’s another story.
Looking at your thoughts allows you to build a road map of who you are so you can identify your dark and light spots and celebrate them, change them, or alter them.
Think of it this way, if your well-being is a locket, self-awareness is the key.
How does mindfulness help you become more self-aware?
Your brain produces an average of 60,000 thoughts a day(!) in order to make sense of the world around you. Without mindfulness, those thoughts swirl around without anywhere to go, unconsciously clogging your mind and creating so much unnecessary overwhelm.
Think about this: How would you feel if your best friend sent you 60,000 texts a day and you didn’t respond to any of them? Seriously, close your eyes and think about it.
I’ll wait.
Okay, so you’re feeling guilty, overwhelmed, stressed, confused, curious, and avoidant– am I right?
Well, if you don’t have a mindfulness practice that’s exactly what you’re doing to yourself! I’m sure you don’t want to intentionally ignore or overwhelm yourself, so let’s start building a practice that will help improve your relationship with yourself and build awareness.
10-Minute Mindfulness Tool
There are plenty of ways to build a mindfulness practice. Some people go for long walks in nature, others meditate or do breathtaking exercises.
But the best tool for mindfulness is journaling, or what Master Coach and Owner of the Life Coach School, Brooke Castillo calls a “Thought Download.” This is the practice of sitting down daily and emptying out what's in your mind, so you can have a look at your thoughts.
Thought Downloads are a basic concept but are hugely impactful when it comes to building self-awareness and becoming more mindful!
This practice has personally changed the way I show up in the world. I am less anxious, more self-aware, and feel happier than I ever have before.
So how do you do a Thought Download? Just follow these 4 steps:
Set a timer for ten minutes.
Grab a reliable writing utensil (dried-out pens and broken pencils can really be a buzzkill during this process so reliability is a must!)
Take out your favorite notebook– preferably one with a lock and key that says “EYES OFF,”
Empty your mind.
If you haven’t paid attention to your mind in quite some time this process may be difficult for you.
You may have resistance to beginning this practice which can cause judgment that might sound like:
“Why didn’t I do that when I said I would?!”
“I feel stupid."
“I’m overwhelmed.”
These are common thoughts people tend to think when they are starting out.
Or you might be caught up in perfectionism. Emptying your mind does not mean writing perfectly crafted prose, or New York Times Op-Ed-ready pieces. Instead, simply write down the sentences in your mind without editing or judging them.
(Read that last line again).
For many, this is a practice in itself. The best thing to do when the judgment begins?
You guessed it! Write it down.
“I’m judging myself for having all of these negative thoughts. It’s frustrating me. And now I'm frustrated that I'm frustrated..” and so on and so forth.
Doing a Thought Download is one of the most beneficial practices you can implement into your daily life because it helps you separate yourself from your thinking. And when you're able to witness your thinking, then you're able to be much more intentional with your thoughts.
Setting aside just 10 minutes a day shows the power to transform your whole life. So, are you willing to give this practice a try? Let me know in the comments below and click here to download my free Thought Download Cheat Sheet.
