“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” – Aristotle
If somebody asked you what your greatest asset is, what would be your answer? I’ve been asked this question a few times before (for job interviews and by my counsellor) and usually my answer was something along the lines of my honesty or my resilience. Which are both amazing assets to have, but what if your greatest asset was self-awareness?
If you could sit there and truly know (and understand) your own character, emotions, goals, values and beliefs, then you would have the greatest asset possible.
Why should you work towards self-awareness?
By understanding yourself to your best ability, you are able to set and achieve goals, improve your relationships, find your inner peace and happiness and make better decisions. If you are truly self-aware, you will be able to go anywhere in life that you want. As long as you can use your self-awareness to your advantage.
Reasons being self-aware is your greatest asset
♡ You know your strengths and weaknesses
By knowing and understanding your strengths and weaknesses, you can improve skills by recognizing what you do well and what could use a little more work.
♡ You know your emotions and how you react to them
When you know and understand your emotions, you are able to accept them and make a rational decision on how you’re going to react to the situation, whether you will allow it to overwhelm you, embrace it or just let it go. Which overall, can improve your relationships – win-win!
♡ You know your motivations
If you know what motivates you, you’re wayyy ahead in life. You’re able to stay in the right mindset and stay on track with little distractions! You’ll be meeting your goals faster than somebody who isn’t self-aware.
♡ You know your values
By knowing what you will and will not put up, you are able to set healthy boundaries for yourself and won’t be settling for anything less.
♡ You are able to trust your intuition
When you are truly self-aware, you can trust your gut (which is your intuition) all day every day! Honestly, there is nothing better than being able to trust that you’ve made the right decision.
♡ You’re mindful of your actions
By being completely self-aware, you are able to act with purpose because you know your strengths, values and can trust your intuition.
How to become self-aware
♡ Ask yourself questions
What feelings are you experiencing? Why do you think you’re feeling that way?
♡ Spend time with yourself
I personally love spending time by myself, I think it’s a blessing some people don’t understand. By spending time by yourself, you allow your thoughts to come and go without any distractions. You are able to hear yourself clearer and, in the end, listen to yourself easier.
♡ Practise mindfulness
Mindfulness allows yourself to live completely in the present, it allows you to feel whatever emotions you experience without judgement and it allows yourself to become calmer, happier and more aware.
♡ Ask for feedback
Sometimes it can be hard asking for feedback, I completely understand and know that, but just like any job or homework you’ve ever done, you need feedback to be able to improve on yourself. I have also found that feedback shows me new information which I may have missed myself.
By trusting yourself, you are able to take pride in everything you do. It is a blessing to be able to recognise your own character, emotions, goals, values and beliefs. It is my ultimate goal. It’s something that I am working towards every single day and I truly believe that everybody should work on becoming self-aware. It will change your life, I promise.
With love
Shorina xo
Counsellor + Wellness & Mental Health Coach
Hi, I'm Shorina and I'm an Australian Counsellor + Wellness & Mental Health Coach. I'm here to support you to redefine your relationship to self and life! I incorporate a mind, body and soul wellness approach to my work with a focus on healing and mindfulness ♡