Written by: Ashlee Byous, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Who are you? Is that question challenging or uncomfortable? Education is at the forefront of society. Various skills are taught and are necessary to be a functioning adult. The prioritized lessons are learning to read, do math, cook, drive, run a business, or succeed in a career. Self-awareness is a valuable tool in realizing all these things more efficiently. There are advantages to understanding your thoughts and how you think, your behavioral patterns, and your emotions. Self-awareness gives you insight into yourself, ultimately improving your overall functioning. Before learning how to build self-awareness, you should know why it’s important and how it will benefit you.
Doctors take the time to study the body so when someone comes in sick, they can cure them. Mechanics study cars so that when a vehicle breaks down, they can put it back together. Parents learn their children and can decipher between cries. Partners get to know each other and can anticipate the other’s needs. Pet owners grow to understand their pet’s personalities and can tell when they aren’t well. Why isn’t the same effort put into learning ourselves? We should know ourselves well enough to know when we are sick, what makes us sad, when we need help, why our friend offends us, what causes us to shrink in fear, etc.
Knowing yourself as well as a doctor knows the body is possible. The more you know, the better off you are.
The phrase “work smarter, not harder” applies to careers, school, paperwork, labor, etc. With self-awareness, we can “live smarter, not harder.” As we get to know ourselves, we can see our patterns of thinking, behavior, and emotions. We may notice destructive cycles and are now equipped to break them. Self-awareness is simply knowing why you think the way you think, why you do what you do, and why you feel the way you feel. Not knowing the answers to these questions can leave you vulnerable to intrusive thoughts, impulsive behaviors, and emotional distress. However, if you can understand yourself and how you function, you will be better prepared to handle whatever life throws at you.
Here are three benefits to increasing your self-awareness:
1. Improves Mental Health
This is a significant benefit. As you learn more about your thinking and emotional patterns, you can identify triggers and anticipate distress. Once you know how your thoughts and emotions work, you can manage and navigate them effectively. This skill will decrease the ‘random’ thought cycles, and emotional outbursts/withdrawals, thereby improving your mental health.
2. Promotes Healthier Relationships
As you know yourself, you can relate to others more authentically. Also, the more self-aware you are, the less likely you are to project your feelings onto others. More importantly, you will know when others are projecting their feelings onto you because you will better understand yourself and how you feel. Awareness will also help you to communicate those feelings.
3. Encourages Self-Advocacy
When you know yourself, you become your best advocate. You know what you are worth, what you need, and how to communicate that. This awareness is very beneficial in multiple areas, including at work, with doctors, in romantic relationships, in friendships, with family members, etc. Self-awareness can strengthen your voice.
To increase your self-awareness and see the three benefits mentioned and more in your life, go to AshleeYve.com
Ashlee Byous, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Ashlee Byous is a Christian Marriage and Family Therapist practicing in the greater Los Angeles area. She has worked in many clinical settings, including universities, in-patient facilities, homeless shelters, community mental health centers, and private practice. Byous specializes in working with individuals who desire to deepen their self-awareness and increase their emotional intelligence and authenticity as they work toward relational health in various areas (e.g. partnerships, friendships, work, school, family relationships, etc.). She also helps individuals who have experienced narcissistic abuse in any form (from family, friend, romantic partner, boss, etc.) in their healing and recovery process.
