To many of us, self-awareness is like a mythical unicorn:
Sometimes, we catch fleeting glimpses of it. But as soon as we’ve spotted it, it vanishes into thin air.
What is this mysterious quality that we think we possess, but actually rarely do? Most importantly, WHY is self-awareness so important?
In a nutshell, being self-aware is an essential part of the spiritual journey.
In fact, without this fundamental quality, there can be no hope for spiritual or psychological growth.
Self-awareness is the very first stepping stone towards expanded consciousness and experiences such as:
- Deeper self-understanding
- More self-compassion
- Increased love for others
- Realization of one’s True Nature
I’ll explore the many benefits later …
But in the meantime, let’s attempt to paint a picture of this magical and oh-so-sly unicorn.
Table of contents
What is Self-Awareness?
Self-awareness is the ability to introspect and be aware of your own thoughts, feelings, impulses, physical sensations, and behaviors.
At a basic level, self-awareness is the ability to pay attention to who you are and what makes you tick. At more complex levels, self-awareness involves developing an understanding of your deeper beliefs, inner wounds, mental and emotional defense mechanisms, and repressed unconscious material – also known as self-understanding.
So what’s the difference between self-understanding and self-awareness?
Quite simply, self-awareness is recognizing your inner landscape. On the other hand, self-understanding is about using that self-awareness to figure out something about yourself. Do you see the subtle difference?
What about self-awareness and consciousness … are they the same thing?
No. They aren’t. The difference between humans and most animals is that humans possess both self-awareness and consciousness, while most animals only possess instinctual consciousness.
According to one Scientific American article,
Consciousness is awareness of one’s body and one’s environment; self-awareness is recognition of that consciousness.
In other words, consciousness is an external focus, while self-awareness is an internal focus.
Self-Awareness Examples
Intellectually understanding self-awareness is all fine and dandy. But let’s go to the next level. What does self-awareness actually look like in action? Here are some self-awareness examples:
Angela:
Angela keeps falling into toxic relationships with unavailable men. Finally, after her fifth failed relationship she has a revelation, “some unhealed part of me is attracting these men into my life.” She has experienced a moment of self-awareness.
Daniel:
Daniel has a weight issue that has caused diabetes. After coming back from work each day he goes on a massive food binge. Suddenly, while cramming a jammy doughnut into his mouth he realizes, “I always binge eat after coming back from work. Work must really stress me out.” He has had a moment of self-awareness.
Patricia:
Patricia struggles to make genuine connections with others – she also has an addiction to talking about people behind their backs. In the middle of a conversation with her no-nonsense work partner, the conversations come to a halt. “Why are you always gossiping about other people, Patricia?” Suddenly, a lightbulb goes off within Patricia’s head and she realizes why she can’t make genuine friends. She has temporarily become self-aware.
Jayla:
Jayla constantly gets into arguments with other people. She thinks it’s because others are out to get her, but she doesn’t realize how poor her communication skills are. After interrupting her sister for the twentieth time, her sister explodes. “Why do you keep fucking interrupting me, Jayla? Just let me TALK already. It’s no wonder you’re constantly arguing with everyone – they can’t stand talking to you! Show some damn respect and let other people talk for once.” Jayla bursts into tears, realizing the harsh truth behind her sister’s words. She has experienced self-awareness.
Lebron:
Lebron has been in the dating game for years, but still hasn’t found “the one.” In the middle of a bout of depression, he realizes that he’s only been chasing after the girls his parents approve of. He has experienced a moment of self-awareness. On the next date he goes on, he decides to listen to his instincts rather than the voices of his parents in his head. After a few more dates he finds his soulmate thanks to listening to his intuition. His life has changed thanks to self-awareness.
A few other examples of being aware include:
- Self-awareness of your genuine feelings and emotions
- Self-awareness of your beliefs
- Self-awareness of your prejudices and biases
- Self-awareness of the way you interact with others
- Self-awareness of your habits
- Self-awareness of how you wish to be perceived
- Self-awareness of your worst fears
- Self-awareness of inner conflicts
- Self-awareness of your goals and dreams
- Self-awareness of being aware (e.g., during meditation and contemplation)
Why is Self-Awareness Important?
Developing self-awareness is so important because without it we can easily become stuck in toxic patterns for years, even an entire lifetime (as many people unfortunately experience).
Self-awareness is the very foundation of all emotional, psychological, and spiritual growth.
A lack of self-awareness results in living an inauthentic and chaotic life that is driven by untamed impulses, unconscious habits, and unquestioned beliefs. To put it simply, self-awareness is so important because without it we become self-destructive.
How many times have you come across people who make the same mistakes, over and over again?
These people lack self-awareness.
How many times have you seen people thrive on drama and self-destructive behavior?
These people lack self-awareness.
What about those who inflict unspeakable violence upon others?
These people also lack self-awareness.
What about those who live most of their lives in boring, stagnant, and meaningless routines?
These people lack self-awareness.
Do you get the drift?
Give me any human problem and I will be able to trace it back to a lack of self-awareness.
It’s a tragically honest reality.
BUT, there is hope – and that is to make becoming self-aware a personal mission.
When you become a model of self-awareness, others around you will also be positively influenced – this is the true meaning of “Be the change you wish to see in the world” – it’s cliche, but it’s so true!
Becoming self-aware is the number one thing you can do to make big shifts in your life and it is the foundation of the spiritual awakening journey.
But first:
Why is it So Damn Hard to Be Self-Aware?
Let’s get straight into answering the question, “Why is it so damn hard to be self-aware?”
Reason #1 – Your Ego
The ego (the identity or sense of self that you carry) is a tricky little bugger.
In order to maintain an image of itself, it must sustain and defend anything that challenges its existence. Inevitably, this need to “keep up the image” involves a whole lot of sly self-deception, resistance, subversiveness, and even a blatant avoidance of reality.
As one person on Quora provocatively observed, “In short, the ego is a bullshit factory, and that process prefers to be undisturbed and unobserved.”
However, we also must be thankful for our egos. Without having an ego, or a separate sense of self, we would be incapable of distinguishing ourselves from the oncoming truck that’s speeding toward us.
Possessing an ego is a survival mechanism that helps us to ascertain what is ours vs. others – we absolutely need it to survive.
But there is a massive downside to having an ego (and you can read more about the ego’s shadow side here). The ego is diametrically opposed to self-awareness because being self-aware challenges, provokes, and sometimes even shatters the mask of the ego.
I’ll give you a few examples of why we prefer to avoid self-awareness below:
Example 1 – You’re having a fight with your partner for the fiftieth time that week. In a fit of rage, you smash your fist into the wall. “Why the hell did you do that you psycho!?!” your partner screams. You then bellow back, “I’M NOT THE PSYCHO YOU PSYCHO! I INTENDED TO SMASH MY FIST THROUGH THAT WALL! I’M COMPLETELY FINE! WHY ARE YOU ACTING LIKE A PSYCHO!?!” After your partner ends the relationship, you suddenly realize that you had been projecting your issues onto them all along. You discover how much of an angry asshole you are and realize you’re to blame for the relationship breakdown. Ouch. That sting of self-awareness hurts like hell.
Example 2 – After scrolling through your social media stream you start to feel depressed and inadequate. Everyone else seems to have a better and more exciting life than you. You then feel like a complete loser for the entire day. Suddenly, you have a lightbulb moment: you feel so horrible because you have low self-esteem. Immediately the thought of having low self-worth makes you feel like even more of a loser, so you suppress and ignore the insight.
I could probably write a few more pages of examples, but do you see what I mean? Self-awareness can often be too much for the ego to handle. (This is why it’s so important to practice self-awareness along with self-care and self-compassion.)
Reason #2 – Biological Programming
The next reason why self-awareness is so difficult is literally that it’s programmed into us to do most things on autopilot.
According to this Psychology Today article we operate on autopilot around 50% of the time. Can you imagine how difficult life would be if you had to remember to breathe, scratch your head, walk, blink, drive your car, use your phone, speak, and so forth?
Most of what we do is on autopilot for a good reason: it’s a much more efficient way to live! We have evolved to become terrifically time and energy-efficient creatures. In order to preserve energy and survive, we need to learn how to do things quickly.
Unfortunately, that means that a large percentage of our lives can be lived in robot mode. Therefore, self-awareness is so difficult because our biological programming makes it hard for us to be mindful.
So why, you may wonder, should we even bother to develop self-awareness if our psychology and biology seem to be working against us?
The answer is that, fortunately, we’re so much more than our minds and bodies – we also possess a heart and soul – and it is these emotional and transpersonal elements of our being that drive us towards self-awareness.
Becoming self-aware literally transforms every aspect of our lives for the better. We’ll explore how next:
Benefits of Self-Awareness
Developing self-awareness is one of the best paths you can ever take in this life. Here are some of the many benefits of self-awareness out there:
- You become more authentic and empowered to be yourself
- You develop a stronger connection with your intuition and inner wisdom
- Your relationships become more loving and peaceful
- You are more likely to discover your life purpose
- You’re able to overcome addictions more easily
- You become more self-supportive (rather than self-sabotaging)
- You feel more confident in social situations
- You’re able to change negative habits and mindsets
- You’re able to take care of your health much more effectively
- You live a more fulfilling life (that is based on your values, not others)
- You feel more connected to your Soul
- You feel more connected with existence
This is not an exhaustive list. There are WAY more benefits out there. But I just want to open a little door into the wondrous world of becoming self-aware.
Signs You Lack Self-Awareness
Are you a self-aware person? Think about this question for a minute.
How conscious are you really of the many thoughts, feelings, and impulses that emerge within you during the day? If you have a tendency to do any of the following, you lack self-awareness:
- You’re often unaware that your words or actions have hurt or offended another person (until they express it to you)
- You’re self-destructive and continue to make the same mistakes over and over again
- You have trouble identifying what exactly you’re feeling or thinking
- You struggle to identify what your true needs or desires are
- You have a habit of behaving without thinking (i.e., you’re impulsive)
- You’re often surprised by people’s perception of you (as they don’t match how you see yourself)
Through time, a lack of self-awareness can lead to depression, anxiety, repeatedly failed relationships, social issues, and even spiritual crises such as the Dark Night of the Soul.
11 Self-Awareness Activities For Spiritual Seekers
Developing self-awareness is the foundation of all important life changes and deep inner work.
The more self-aware we are, the more we can understand, accept, and love ourselves. And the more we love ourselves, the more we can love others. Can you see how this is all connected?
Go through the following self-awareness activities list and choose one practice that resonates with you. Try it out for one week and see how you feel. Then, repeat the process!
1. Tune in to your body
Your body is one of the most direct ways to connect with your emotions. If you tend to get lost in your head too much, practice scanning your body. Search for areas of tension or discomfort and ask, “What is happening here?”
For instance, you might find yourself clenching your fists or jaw and you might realize that you’re feeling angry. You might have tense shoulders and realize that you’re “carrying the weight of the world” on your shoulders. Or you might even discover that a persistent physical issue you have is connected with a stressful place or person.
Once you have become aware of the issue, you can then take steps to reduce your stress, anger, or sadness.
2. Identify your specific type of “body armor”
Body armoring was a concept developed by psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich in the early 20th century and came to describe the process of storing traumatic experiences within the muscles of our bodies.
“The issue is within the tissue” in other words.
If you have a certain part of your body that is frequently sore, stiff, or full of pain, it is likely that there’s some kind of trapped or reinforced emotion stuck there. By paying attention to your body, you will be able to identify your type of body armor.
Read more about how to explore the emotions hidden in your muscle tension.
3. Ask someone to point out your blind spots
Yes, I know this initially sounds pretty damn scary. But it’s actually one of the most powerful self-awareness activities out there.
A word of caution, though: unless you want to be roasted, it’s better to find a trusted friend, counselor, spiritual guide, or coworker for this activity. You’ll want to ensure this person is close to you and feels comfortable with being honest. Then, ask them to reveal any weaknesses or unhelpful habits that you might possess.
Remember that for this task you have to mentally prepare yourself. You don’t want to ask someone to do a favor for you and then tear out their throat in anger! Facing our flaws can be confronting and distressing to the ego. So ensure that you’re in a calm and centered space beforehand. Practicing self-love will be crucial, so have some affirmations and other self-soothing resources on hand (just in case).
Studies have shown that our coworkers can evaluate our strengths and weaknesses twice as accurately as we can – they see things that we can’t or won’t see. The more people you seek out, the better. Make use of the insight others have in your life and use it to your advantage.
4. Stand in front of the mirror
A simple but powerful way of becoming more self-aware is to listen to your self-talk. The best way that I’ve found of doing this is to stand right in front of the mirror staring at yourself. Pay attention to what insecurities or negative self-judgments arise. What are the dominant feelings you experience? Mirror work will give you a direct insight into how you perceive yourself and therefore increase your self-awareness.
5. Think about your greatest strengths
Reflect on your accomplishments and the things you’re proud of. What do you like about yourself? Get a journal and record all of your discoveries. The more aware you are of your strengths, the more you’ll be able to make self-aware decisions that are aligned with your authentic self.
6. Explore your biggest weaknesses
It might seem unnecessary or even detrimental to explore your weaknesses, but as Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, “Our strength grows out of our weaknesses.”
Once you’re able to face and own these darker parts of yourself, the more freedom and power you will paradoxically experience.
My favorite way to explore weaknesses is by examining the shadow (read more about shadow work). To begin this process, make a habit of noticing whenever you experience strong emotions such as shame, guilt, anger, resentment, and fear. Ask, “What triggered these feelings?”
You might even like to keep a shadow journal to record your discoveries so that you can track your journey of self-awareness.
Learn more about how to journal.
7. What is your #1 distraction?
Our distractions tell us a great deal about our fears, impulses, and hidden desires.
What unnecessary task takes up a lot of your time? Perhaps it might be watching TV, online shopping, snacking, masturbating, scrolling through Instagram, playing video games, gossiping with friends, or even getting lost in daydreams.
Distraction isn’t always a bad thing, but when we obsessively find ways of escaping reality, there’s a problem. Draw awareness to your distractions, and you’ll be on the path to greater self-insight.
8. Practice meditation and mindfulness
Mindfulness means paying attention to the present moment, whereas meditation is learning how to become aware of your thoughts. Together, they make a dynamic duo.
Mindfulness helps to ground you in reality, which increases self-awareness. Meditation, on the other hand, is a way in which you can become intimately acquainted with your mind and its processes. Both practices can be incorporated relatively effortlessly into your day. If you have five or ten minutes to spare, take time to drop into your body and senses.
Here are some mindfulness exercises you may like to explore. I also recommend apps such as Calm to support your meditation practice.
9. Keep a daily ‘sunshine and sh*t’ journal
Record all the things you loved and hated within your day (aka. the sunshine and shit!). Write down how you felt, what your plans are, and anything else you’d like to express. Journaling is a simple and powerful form of self-expression that is a wonderful way to enhance your self-awareness.
10. What do you dislike the most in others?
“I hate people who are judgmental,” I once remember saying. My wise friend at the time turned around and retorted, “But aren’t you judging those people for being judgmental?” Oops. Yeah, it happens a lot.
Most of us aren’t even aware that we are projecting a lot of our shit onto other people. Why? Because when we disown the parts we dislike about ourselves, it’s easier to live with ourselves.
But the easy path is the lazy path. Self-growth isn’t always flowers and rainbows, and nor does it need to be. The reality is that if we want to become truly self-aware, we need to own our projections at some point or another. By reclaiming and embracing the denied, suppressed, and shunned aspects of ourselves, we feel more at peace with ourselves and those around us. This, of course, requires radical self-honesty.
Do you have the guts to own your projections? Check out my article on psychological projection to learn more.
11. Read books, take tests, attend workshops
Self-awareness is a life-long process – there is no real ‘end’ point because we are constantly morphing and evolving. It would be pretty boring if self-awareness could be condensed into a five-day retreat!
With this in mind, it’s important to have fun on the journey. There are so many intriguing ways to ‘peel back the layers’ of your psyche.
This entire website, for example, has hundreds of articles that can help increase your self-awareness. I’ve also designed a hell of a lot of free psychological and spiritual tests, which you can find in our free tests section.
So, in essence, have an insatiable thirst for self-knowledge. Go out there and watch lectures, attend workshops, and gain new skills. See life as a school and use every opportunity you can to increase your self-awareness and self-acceptance – it’s such a meaningful way to live life!
Self-Awareness For Advanced Learners
As rivers lose name and shape in the sea, wise men lose name and shape in God, glittering beyond all distance.
– Mundaka Upanishad
There comes a time when self-awareness evolves from simply understanding the nature of the self/identity to understanding the nature of the Self (with a capital ‘S’) or the spiritual essence of who we are.
With enough inner exploration, it becomes apparent that the mind is a very limited muscle, and although our intellect is a complex tool, it nevertheless understands a minute fragment of reality. Furthermore, it also becomes apparent that who you “think” you are is not truly what you are.
The following self-awareness exercise is for those who have developed a lot of insight about themselves but perhaps not very much insight about their spiritual Self or True Nature.
Ask the following seven questions …
- Am I this emotion?
- Am I this thought?
- Am I this physical sensation?
- Am I this circumstance?
- Am I this body?
- Am I this personality?
- Who am I?
If you reflect deeply on these questions, you’ll soon realize that everything within and without you arises totally spontaneously. You’ll discover that not only aren’t you defined by any of the above points, but you don’t consciously choose any of it either (and even the belief that you choose any of it arises spontaneously!). So, who are you?
If you’re none of these physical, emotional, or mental phenomena that are as transient as the wind, who are you? You will discover something amazing … you are nothing! But not a nothing that is void or depressing; a nothing that is full, vibrant, pure, loving, and eternal; a nothing that is paradoxically everything.
If you want to go deeper with your Self-awareness and explore this profound mystery more, I highly recommend checking out my self-inquiry, self-observation, and non-duality articles.
29 Self-Awareness Quotes
To close this article, I will end with some illuminating perspectives on self-awareness. I hope these thoughts motivate and inspire you:
Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.
– Aristotle
Self-awareness is a key to self-mastery.
– Gretchen Rubin
Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.
― C.G. Jung
Self-love is a good thing, but self-awareness is more important. You need to once in a while go “Uh, I’m kind of an asshole.”
– Louis C. K.
Self-awareness involves deep personal honesty. It comes from asking and answering hard questions.
– Stephen Covey
He who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is enlightened.
– Lao Tzu
The greatest of faults is to be conscious of none.
– Thomas Carlyle
Awareness is the greatest agent for change.
– Eckhart Tolle
Self-awareness is one of the rarest of human commodities. I don’t mean self-consciousness where you’re limiting and evaluating yourself. I mean being aware of your own patterns.
– Tony Robbins
What is necessary to change a person is to change his awareness of himself.
– Abraham Maslow
Self-awareness includes awareness of your mental realm, which encompasses your thoughts, feelings, energy, and emotions.
– Deepak Chopra
I think self-awareness is probably the most important thing towards being a champion.
– Billie Jean King
Self-awareness gives you the capacity to learn from your mistakes as well as your successes. It enables you to keep growing.
– Lawrence Bossidy
Self-Awareness concerns knowing one’s internal states, preferences, resources, and intuitions.
– Daniel Goleman
Self-awareness is the ability to take an honest look at your life without any attachment to it being right or wrong, good or bad.
– Debbie Ford
The unexamined life is not worth living.
– Socrates
Self-awareness moves us beyond the old, well-worn pathways in the brain that support fixed, unconscious habits.
– D. Chopra
Without self-awareness we are as babies in the cradles.
– Virginia Woolf
In the light of calm and steady self-awareness, inner energies wake up and work miracles without any effort on your part.
– Nisargadatta Maharaj
Whenever you are about to find fault with someone, ask yourself the following question: What fault of mine most nearly resembles the one I am about to criticize?
– Marcus Aurelius
Wisdom tends to grow in proportion to one’s awareness of one’s ignorance.
– Anthony de Mello
The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.
– Nathaniel Branden
As my awareness increases, my control over my own being increases.
– William Schutz
Being self-aware is not the absence of mistakes, but the ability to learn and correct them.
– Daniel Chidiac
Spiritual progress is born out of self-awareness.
– Deborah King
The most fundamental aggression to ourselves, the most fundamental harm we can do to ourselves, is to remain ignorant by not having the courage and the respect to look at ourselves honestly and gently.
– Pema Chödrön
Without awareness, we are not truly alive.
– J. Bugental
There’s a mess inside you: You clean the outside.
– The Dhammapada
Never become a slave to your own thinking and your own self. Understand that you are continuously changing. But, in which way you will change is your free will.
– R. Papian
Final Words
Self-awareness is the essential building block of inner transformation and spiritual awakening.
Remember: without self-awareness, there can be no emotional, psychological, or spiritual growth.
Without self-awareness, we can’t experience the joy of living in healthy relationships, finding meaningful jobs, or even just enjoying day-to-day existence.
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That’s how important self-awareness is. It truly is fundamental to EVERY aspect of life.
So tell me, what is your relationship with self-awareness like? I’d love to hear in the comments!
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7mo ago I got out of an emotionally abusive relationship with a covert narcissist that lasted 8yrs,I’m also trying to be clean and sober,and have struggled with addiction for 27yrs,I just started therapy 2wks ago,I am so interested in all of this,I’m so ready to be free from all of this junk that keeps holding me back,I enjoyed this article
My biggest self awareness was that I was the reason for my last relationship break up, due to my lack of handling my emotions and people pleasing.
This is an interesting article to be sure. Many people could benefit from it. But from a soley personal perspective I think it paints an overly rosey picture. I started this journey of self awareness after a couple of very intense pot highs and deep meditation. It (this journey) has been one of much discovery but I would have to say any sort of change has been strictly internal. In other words NOTHING external has changed. NOTHING in the way of practices, books, teachings, insights, advice, education, even self discovery has made any difference in my day-to-day life. After over 30 years of hearing read-this-book-it-will-change-your-life, go-here-it-will-change-your-life, do-this-it-will-change-your-life I’m still waiting for a change and still wrestling with the same issues I’ve been dealing with since I was a kid. Despite this, once you start the journey of self discovery its not something that you’ll likely abandon; its too fascinating.
Hi Tony, while I’m sure you hope to hear from Mateo, I wanted to share part of my journey, in case it helps. I’m a man of science with a very successful (by the Western definition) career who had virtually no background with any of this 6 months ago other than a Spanish grandmother who was always meditating, playing with crystals, numerology, tarot and other spiritual activities. But we were not close, so I really never learned from her (unfortunately she passed last year before I became self-aware – at 108 years old!).
In actuality I was going through a Dark Night period in my life, had an anxiety attack, blood pressure spiking out of nowhere, and feeling like there was more to life. A traumatic event (sick wife in a hospital) that I was not prepared to deal with due to some traumatic events of my own (I spent 6 weeks in an Army hospital at the age of 11) almost broke up my 21 year marriage. I committed to working with a therapist who it turns out was helping me do inner work via what he calls soul integration (basically body-armor release), which was really allowing me to unblock my chakras. As fate would have it, I also happened to pick up a meditation book at an airport on a whim when a flight was delayed a few weeks prior to my wife’s event at the hospital. When I learned meditation was part of the therapy work, I immediately knew why. The book, along with a Netflix special on Mindfulness (part of “The Brian, Explained”), and my therapy work got me doing significant amounts of mindfulness meditation, until one day as I came out of a meditation, the fog from my ego lifted and I truly became self-aware!
It was very much as described on this site and elsewhere, my senses were heightened and the world around me just looked brighter and more in-focus. I began to “feel” music instead of just listening to it, every instrument pinging different parts of my body, my taste buds were more sensitive, and my intuition was going crazy! It lasted about 3 days and then subsided, which was frustrating, but I’ve come to learn is also typical. Since then, I’ve been able to routinely connect with my higher-self and have found a new purpose in life, which is to teach my community what I am learning. It turns out there is an epidemic of unconsciousness and people are begging me to learn more. I believe I am an indigo child on a path to becoming a Spiritual Elder, two things I never thought I’d say, certainly not out loud.
The point I’m trying to make to you is something I’ve seen Mateo say here a few times, you have to do the inner work to truly have an awakening, but that awakening is very possible. Otherwise, it will probably stay in the theoretical for you in the meantime. I hope my story is helpful in your journey!
The great missing piece is self totality.. this comes before self awareness.. call it the inner consciousness in itself we choose to put there or add to. Very descriptive.
If you are a leftie, it’s mandatory that you objectively read about or add in stuff about the right from their perspective in the most nonjudgmental way possible.. and vice versa. Self awareness comes from that pool. It’s only as good as sequential as that pool.
When all is done, b aware that this is merely about your insides. Externals matter. Socialities matter. The interpersonal and collectives matter too. Not just about you or your little individual self. Fundamentally yea, ultimately no.
Ultimately it’s all about EXECUTION and the sustainability of such executions..period.. connecting execution to those great books and thoughts with massively sustainable skill and scale is what leads to real change and happiness. Make sure your partners and core relationships independently reinforce who you are and what your core is..
You ALWAYS write excellent articles! Easy to read. Well organized. Informative. SUPER helpful! THANK YOU!!!
Thank you Jill, I’m most happy you find them useful (and well organized!) :)
After having a self-awareness meditation, I realized I don’t treat my mother very nice. For the whole day I was feeling a heavy burden on my chest.
Very insightful, I have been having this light bulb moments for the past two years but ignoring them and the truth is it gets deeper the more you ignore it
Well it does not come very often lately,I mean the the notion of self awareness.Greatly needed I truly believe so.Maybe so stuck in patterns of life that don t serve my purpose at all, that I maybe Don t realize how much I need to be self aware.
I think you’re comment already reflect a good level of self-awareness, just being open to the fact we’re so closed in patterns and stagnant in our ego beliefs that we may be missing out on something will allow provide the crack necessary to let any light in when there’s a valuable lesson to learn to deepen that awareness. :)
MY MOMENT OF SELF AWARENESS WAS SEEING I ACTUALLY HAD AN EGO AND THEN TACKLING IT TO BELOW AND UNDERSTAND THE NEGATIVE PART OF IT AND THE NECESSITY OF IT AS WELL. A TWO EDGED SWORD HIGHLY SENSITIVE REACTIONS DUE TO BOTH SIDES AND THEN DECERNING WHICH IS WHICH AND KEEPING WHAT IS WHAT!
latest WAS A SISTER SUDDENLY WANTING CONTACT FROM ME AFTER NEARLY THREE YRS OF DEAD SILENCE. I WAS SOFT AT FIRST AND FIGURED OK I WOULD CONTACT HER. I COULD NOT CALL NO WAY BUT I DID BEGIN TO WRITE AND WRITE AND WRITE AND WRITE TILL I GOT TO THE CORE OF WHY I DECIDED TO NOT HAVE HER IN MY LIFE, THE TRUTH OF IT ALL, AND SEEING HER FOR WHAT SHE IS AND HAS BECOME AND DECIDING NOT TO MAIL ANYTHING OR CALL AND JUST LETING IT GO. hmmm! ME LETTING SOMETHING GO?? I AM LEARNING.
THE NEXT PART WAS SEEING HOW I COULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE UPSET IN MY HOUSE INSTEAD OF REACTING TO THE OTHER PERSONS ACTIONS AND LACK OF ACTIONS I STEPPED BACK AND LOOKED AT ME!!! I SAW THAT IT IS NOT ME WHO IS A COWARD AND THAT THE OTHER PERSON HAS BEEN PROJECTING ALL THESE YRS ABOUT THEIR OWN SELF DECEPTIONS AND UN AWARE SELF ACTIONS BEING THROWN ON TO ME DUE TO THEIR LACK OF FACING THEIR OWN DARK NIGHT AND UN SELF AWARENESS AND ESCAPISM WAYS. I STEPPED BACK LET THEM FLOAT THEIR OWN BOAT. BECAME AWARE OF HOW I WAS BEING THE EXSCUSE AND ELIMINATED THE EXSCUSE FOR THEM NOT TO USE ME AS ONE ANYMORE(?) THEN THEY SQUIRMED AND THINGS BEGAN TO CHANGE. IN MY FAVOR. I WENT INTO NATURE AS MY FRIEND. I HAD BEEN NEGLECTING MY DEAREST FRIEND. I WORKED FOR 6 HRS IN 90DEGREE HEAT GOT WOUNDED AND SO ON AND WHEN I WAS DONE I FOUND I WAS NEGLECTING NATURE AND NOT LETTING HER IN SO I LET GO OF MUSIC AS I WALK AND I JUST BE!!! WHAT A DIFFERENCE. WE ARE CLOSE AGAIN. BEGAN TO FOCUS ON ITS OK TO FOCUS ON SELF. TO HEAL ACCOMPLISH AND CHANGE THINGS EVEN OUTSIDE OF MYSELF. LETTING ANGER BE EXPERIENCING IT. I READ A LOT ABOUT DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF ANGER. HOW IT ALL PERTAINED TO MY OWN AND NOT OTHERS. BECAME SELF AWARE THE DEPTH OF MY OWN THE REASONS FOR IT AND ALL SIDES OF IT INCLUDING TO DENY IT TRY TO ESCAPE FROM IT REFUSE IT ITS SAY (NOT JOURNALING FOR ONE)THAT I WAS DAMAGING MYSELF BY NOT LETTING IT HAVE ITS REASONS HEARD BY ME AND DEALING WITH THE CORE OF THE MANY SIDES AND FINDING OUT I CAN BE COMPASSIONATE TO MY ANGER AS IT IS NOT ALLL BAD!! IT CAN LEAD AND OFTEN DOES TO BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS AND DEEPER UNSERSTANDING OF SELF.
THERE IS MUCH MORE I HAVE BEEN AT WORK ON- SELF AWARNENESS AND UNDERTSTANDING OF SELF.
I HAVE BEEN IGNORING MYSELF AND LETTING PEOPLE GET IN MY WAY OF THIS MUCH NEEDED SELF SUPPORT, ETC.
I HAVE TO LET OTHERS TAKE THE FALL FOR THEIR OWN DECISIONS AND LET THEM TOTE THE BLAME FOR THEIR OWN UNAWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING. I AM TRULY ON MY OWN AS PEOPLE ARE RUNNING SCARED FROM THEMSELVES. NOT ME. WELL YEAH ME WHEN THEY ARE CONFRONTED BY THE TRUTH REFLECTED IN MY EYES ABOUT THEM. I FEEL SORRY FOR THEM.
SUCH SELF IGNORANCE AND LACK OF EVEN TRYING TO UNSERSTAND THEMSELVES AND REFUSING TO MAKE THEIR OWN CHANGES AND ME CATCHING THE BLAME FOR MUCH OF THEIR PROBLEMS EVEN WHEN I DID NOT KNOW THEM YRS AGO!! I NOW OWN MY POWER,(IF EVEN TEMPORARY) BUT BECAUSE OF THE TRAINING TO LOVE ALL SINCE I WAS A CHILD IS AN ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE GOAL TO REACH AT THIS POINT. I JUST HAVE TO BACK OFF. AND ITS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT TO BACK OFF WHEN I SEE BEYOND THE HAND IN FRONT OF THEIR FACE. I SEE THE FOREST FOR THE TREES AND THEY HAVE NO CLUE AND WHEN A GLIMMER APPEARS ABOUT SEEING BEYOND THEIR FEARS SURFACES HOW THEY GO TO GREAT LENGHTHS TO SHUV IT DOWN AND NOT DEAL WITH THEIR OWN TRUTHS. SO I SURRENDERED. LET GOD DEAL WITH THEM. I HAVE MY RESULTS UPON PRAYING AND MEDIATTING AND RESTING AND GIVING IN TO DRIVING MYSELF TO WALK EVERYDAY MILES AND MILES. IT WAS MY WAY OF TRYING TO ESCAPE MY UPSET BY BECOMING EXHAUSTED. I AM GENTLER WITH ME NOW.ALLOW SLEEP WHEN IT IS DEMANDED. EAT WHEN NEEDING TO EAT. HYDRATING MYSELF AND TAKING PROPER VITAMINS TO KEEP MY SELF AWARENESS KEEN AND UNDERSTANDING ADEPT.
ITS HARD TO GET USED TO BUT WALKING AWAY FROM OTHERS IS A GOOD THING. I AM NOT RUNNNG AWAY FROM THEM THEY ARE RUNNING TOWARDS ME AND I SAY NO YOU ARE A BIG KID NOW THINK FOR YOURSELF.
TRUE TEST COMING UP ON HOW THIS WORKS OUT IN JULY..A REALLY TOUGH ONE.REALLY TOUGH.
HERES TO YOU KEEPING UP WITH KEEPING UP. YOU BOTH ARE VALUED .
I HOPE YOUR RECURRING ROUGH TIMES ARE LITTLE AND PASS QUICKLY.
OUT OF ALL MY LIFE YOU TWO ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO GO TO THE DEPTHS AND DON’T ACCUSE BUT HINT AND MAKE EXAMPLES FROM POSTS. I SEE AND LISTEN AND DO NOT GET UPSET.
GUTS YOU BOTH HAVE IN A GENTLE WAY.
All wonderful examples of bringing deeper self-awareness into our journey, thank you for sharing them Wendy, I’m so happy we both provide a source of support for you in this difficult path. :)
I realised in last weeks course that I could be a vampire. I’m working on changing that. Luna and Sol thank you for your kindness. I don’t know how else I would have made this discovery about myself if I didn’t stumble accross lonerwolf.
I’m so happy to hear our work served to shed insights into subconscious behaviors you’d like to improve :), thank you for sharing Buyi
The biggest moment of selfawareness in my life is when the love of my life my wife walked out the door and I thought I was actually being a good husband. It wasn’t until about 2 weeks of self reflecting to see that I was the one that was the problem. I kept projecting my fears on her. I kept living how I thought she wanted me to live instead of how I wanted to live. Fear had totally taken control of my life and maybe I get a second and maybe I don’t but I am being true to me. I am very aware of what I say in retrospect my actions are very deliberate. My values have grown not changed. It took 34 yrs but I’m aware of who I am honestly I want my wife back but in the tender virtuous form I fell in love with. I had to accept I lacked my own selfawareness so long she did not know who her husband was anymore. I was too busy filling roles and characters I made up in my mind I lost my authentic self. Thankfully I found myself again just not in the way I would have pictured it.
It takes immense courage to realize our missteps and lack of self-awareness. I’m sorry you’ve separated from your beloved but happy to hear you’ve found a path of authenticity Steven :)
I was 12 at the time. A total introvert and not being able to join in. At a public swimming pool an event happen that changed my life. After I had jumped off the high board into the water I was coming up from the bottom of the pool and a child jumped on top of me. That moment I was no longer in the same body I was when I jumped from the board. I was there floating in the water without fear, not breathing or trying to. I was floating in a myriad of sparkling lights and in total silence. The peace was so profound that I didn’t want it to end. Suddenly, my hair was grabbed by a young man and I was pulled from the water, laid on my side and had my back pounded as I coughed up water. My life changed in the fact that I became an empath, shoulder and a confidant for everyone around me. Even to this day I can read and interact with people and animals in a way that freaks a lot of people out. I see auras and have a touch reaction on lives that changes them in ways that heals them. I never tell anyone what to do, feel or try to do anything. It is all on them. I smiled at a young man sitting sadly in a coffee shop all by himself when my husband and I were on a trip. He came up to me a little later and said that I had saved his life. He was thinking of ending his life. He said my smile told him that there were still good in this world. I know what and who I am. I love the way I turned out and being 73 years old I still feel I have a lot more to learn about who I am.
That’s a wonderful story Sandra, thank you for sharing it. :)