The Art Of Self-Awareness: 5 Simple Habits Of Naturally Self-Aware People
Truly self-aware people have a solid understanding of how they come across to others.
Christian Wright | Unsplash One of the most attractive qualities in anybody is sincerity and self-awareness. When someone knows exactly who they are, they’re happier and the kind of people others want to be around. Getting to that point is a little more complicated, however. You need to get to know yourself in order to truly love yourself.
Self-awareness is a term that gets thrown around a lot, but most people don’t ever take the time to understand what the benefits really are. According to psychologist Daniel Goleman, non-judgmental self-awareness is the cornerstone of emotional intelligence and being sincere.
"The ability to monitor our emotions and thoughts from moment to moment is key to understanding ourselves better, being at peace with who we are, and proactively managing our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors," Goleman explains. "In addition, self-aware people tend to act consciously rather than react passively, to be in good psychological health and to have a positive outlook on life."
Here are 5 simple habits of naturally self-aware people:
1. They try new things
Very self-aware people tend to try new things regularly because they understand the value. When you try new things, you learn more about who you are and how you respond in certain situations. If you’re stuck in a rut and don’t feel like you know yourself very well, try something new.
For example, take up water skiing. Buy a pair of water skis, find a friend or instructor to teach you the ropes, and make it your hobby for the summer. Maybe gardening sounds more interesting? Research the basics and try your hand at it.
2. They write things down
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Self-aware people spend time writing down their thoughts. This sometimes looks like journaling, doodling, or writing short stories. The value in this is the act of pausing and taking the time to crystallize your thoughts.
If you’ve never tried journaling in the past, start out slow and create room for it in your daily schedule. Try 10 minutes per day for two weeks. If this works, try 30 minutes per day for a month. Like any discipline, the more you practice, the better you’ll get.
Putting thoughts and aspirations on paper makes them more tangible. One study explained that the act of writing moves abstract ideas from the mind into a form that can be acted upon, strengthening the commitment to those intentions.
3. They take a self-evaluation
Sometimes you might need a little more structure in order to understand who you are. While they aren't perfect by any means, self-assessment tests like these can help you gauge your strengths and weaknesses, personality proclivities, and values.
Take a couple of these and study your results. If nothing else, they’ll help you recognize areas where you can grow.
Naturally sincere people practice unbiased processing, meaning they can honestly evaluate their strengths and weaknesses without denial or blame. Research has shown that admitting faults shows humility and integrity, inspiring the same transparency in others.
4. They define their goals and dreams
When it comes to goals and dreams, most people think they have a pretty good idea of where they want to be. However, if someone were to ask you for the details, you’d probably come up short. This reveals a pretty significant gap that needs to be filled.
In order to learn more about yourself, set aside some time to write out your goals and create specific definitions, checklists, and objectives for them. This simple act will give you some much-needed clarity.
Research shows that when people set goals that are aligned with their core values and genuine interests, they feel more authentic, experience greater well-being, and are more committed to ethical behavior. This habit strengthens self-trust, and this reliability is foundational to being sincere in one's words and actions with others.
5. They focus on themselves (without feeling guilty)
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Everywhere you turn, people are telling you to be selfless and focus on others. And while there’s certainly merit in serving others and helping them through times of trouble, it’s impossible to be a valuable member of society without first knowing yourself.
Spend some time focusing on yourself and seek to understand your strengths, weaknesses, hopes, dreams, and fears. This sort of reflection will ultimately instill confidence, which is attractive to everyone around you.
Paula Mooney is a writer whose essays and articles have been featured in national print magazines such as Writer's Digest and major online publications like Yahoo, Examiner, and more.
