Do you know yourself?

Do you know yourself from the inside, your thoughts, feelings, behaviors, actions, and emotions?

Just recently, I turned my lens from focusing outwardly on myself. I never realized this was an option. So I lived my life reacting to outside events and moving wherever the wind took me.

Once I started looking within me, I began to understand myself and better manage my thoughts, feelings, and actions. I used to feel stuck, but this inward focus has helped me gain a sense of direction.

I started to discover myself once again.

I say once again because we are free and ourselves as we are born. Over the years, we take on layers of other people's expectations and masks for survival.

But those layers and masks expire and may not be valuable to us in our present situation or where we want to go in the future. They weigh us down and can do more harm than good. You know that saying what got you here won't get you where you want to go.

Becoming self-aware is not an easy or overnight journey. It takes patience, understanding, and being true to yourself. It is a journey of self-discovery, learning, and growth. It is a journey we must take to be free and achieve our creative potential.

Benefits of self-awareness

• We can better understand our needs and wants

• We can make better life decisions that align with our values

• We can communicate with clarity and intention.

• We can build better relationships

• We can increase our happiness

Most of all, we can become comfortable with who we are, the bad and the good sides, the parts we are ashamed of, and the parts we regret.

How to develop self-awareness

Connect with yourself - Use journaling to notice your thoughts and explore them to understand better how to manage your inner states.

Draw a timeline of your life - Get a pen and paper and identify the most impactful events of your life, both positive and negative. We often hide our past and never look back at it again out of regret, pain, and trauma. Shining light on our past is a great way to become more aware of our experiences that led to who we are today.

Tackle your limiting beliefs - Identify what story you have been telling yourself which has been holding you back for far too long. Do the work to change that story and flip the script to one that will help you realize the power you have to achieve your creative potential.

Ask for feedback - Instead of being stuck in our views and blindspots, seek the feedback of the people you trust to gain a different perspective. Reflect on the feedback and find opportunities to learn and grow.

Learning how to become more Self-aware is a journey of discovery to be approached with curiosity and an open mind. Imagine understanding yourself better by being able to learn more about your thoughts, feelings, and action. Knowing what we can and can't control can help us live a life aligned with our values and who we are.

The more light you shine on yourself through self-awareness, curiosity, and compassion, the better you will be able to manage your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors so you can lead a life with purpose and intention as you achieve your creative potential.

It's your time to shine!

Ideas that caught my eye

• What if we can create breakthrough innovation by decelerating and moving slowly instead of moving fast and breaking things. Decelerate

• What if everyday moments such as drinking a glass of water or playing with our kids are cherished as rituals? How to set yourself free with ritual

• Sometimes forgiveness seems impossible, but my coach Oli gets to the heart of why forgiveness must happen if we want to be truly free to achieve our potential. Are you able to forgive others and yourself also?

olijanderson

A post shared by Oli Anderson | Coaching for Realness (@olijanderson)

For your eyes only

Take a moment to be present with the details of this stunning hallway in the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, located in Glasgow, Scotland.

That’s it for this week. I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Please reach out if you have any feedback, or just want to chat.

May you be happy. Till next time, stay strong! 💜

Cheers,
Rizwan