Self-awareness…a Place to Start
Written by Kendall Bergman
Students and experts in the field of psychology have been talking about and researching self-awareness since at least the early 1970’s. Self-awareness is an internal development practice of getting to know yourself in a way that allows us to better relate with and know others. Simply put, as we become more aware of our internal worlds, we are able to discover our values, motivations, strengths and purpose.
Why does this matter? The less you understand about how you are hardwired as a human being, the less you are able to effectively relate, interact and communicate with other people…this includes family, friends, colleagues, supervisors, direct reports, etc. Richard Bach wrote, “Look in a mirror and one thing’s sure, what we see is not who we are.” What do you see when you look in the mirror?
When you find yourself in conflict or at odds with another person, do you immediately think “it’s their fault” or “if they would just stop doing this or start doing that, then everything would be great” or “why is the world plotting against me”?
Gaining self-awareness is a journey…a path to self-discovery. As you increase in self-awareness, you will begin to see that sometimes you are at fault and the world is not against you. As you increase in self-awareness, you will understand that what you hold as core values and those intrinsic motivators fueling the fire in your soul are not necessarily the same core values and motivators of others. Further, you will experience deepened curiosity about yourself and the world around you. This deepened curiosity will result in freedom to accept yourself and others in a way that previously wasn’t possible.
Before you know it, you are taking full responsibility for your life. You will cease blaming others and grow in curiosity about who you are, how you are and what you are…dreams will take root, purpose will unfold and intention will be revealed. You see, I believe that throughout history people are born and given the choice of discovering their truest self…the person God created them to be. Or, the choice of remaining ignorant, blind and half-alive. It’s up to you. What will you choose?
Listen, sometimes it is the other person’s fault and the other person is not self-aware. That’s not your business. You are your business. It’s work to learn who you are…to grow in self-awareness and to live a fully-awake life. It can be scary to step into the unknown. But, it’s worthwhile. You are worth doing the work to know who you are.
The more intimately you know yourself, the more meaningful your interactions and relationships will be. The more intimately you know yourself, the more clear your reflection in the mirror becomes.
Don’t hesitate to contact me (Kendall) if you’re ready to begin your journey of self-awareness leading to increased self-knowledge and improved relationships. You can email me at hello@thediscoverywell.com.