The Importance of Self-Awareness

Next time you’re alone, imagine an objective observer is watching you. How would they describe what they see? Would they admire how you’re spending your time?

It’s easy to get lost in distractions and bad habits, and acting as if you have an observer is one of the best ways to break out of a cycle you’re unhappy with. It’s a surprisingly simple and effective method, even if it might be somewhat difficult on an emotional level. How often do we take an honest, stripped-down look at ourselves? 

If you end up in any sort of leadership role, self-awareness might be even more important for you. I screw this up all the time. Have you ever responded to a question or request for advice as if the other person is already in your head? Taking an observer’s point of view in a conversation can help you communicate far more effectively.

Photo Credit: Engin Akyurt

Self-awareness can get you jobs, partners, friends, significant others, or it can lose you any of the above. It can cost you opportunities that are difficult, if even possible, to get back. In fact, one could argue that self-awareness is one of the most important aspects of relationships. How you come off to another person defines your role in a relationship.

Self-awareness allows us to become the best version of ourselves. Self-reflection, the awareness of our previous behaviors, helps us determine what habits we want to eliminate and which ones we want to keep. 

Now imagine if our society adopted this mindset. We just went through four years of having a president who put off an image that emphasized a lack of self-awareness. Throughout Trump’s term, our nation adopted an attitude of “F@%$ you, this is what I think.” But, if we adopted a calmer, more receptive attitude, if we asked our neighbors their opinions in an attempt to see the world from their point of view, I imagine progress and compromise would come far easier.

And then maybe we wouldn’t have to deal with poverty and famine anymore. Maybe genocides and wars worldwide would end. Maybe the pandemic would go away. Maybe we’d be able to live in harmony and grace. Maybe there wouldn’t be any more bad music. And maybe my dad would finally tell me he likes the art I make. And he would go back and time and make everybody that didn’t like me like me. And elephants would turn pink and we could inflate them and ride around on them like magic carpets. But they would enjoy it, it wouldn’t be an abusive thing. And soda would be good for you. And there wouldn’t be any more lines on the internet. The pandemic was supposed to get rid of lines. Why do I still have to wait to get a PS5?

The APA calls “objective self-awareness” a “reflective state of self-focused attention.” I believe that is a great definition.

To see what you can do to help world hunger, please visit https://www.actionagainsthunger.org/about

Sources:

https://www.tckpublishing.com/self-awareness/