Are you Self Aware?

"Within you, you will find everything you need to be complete and fulfilled. Be self aware."

Self-awareness can be defined as the capacity for introspection and self discovery. It is one’s ability to find oneself as a separate individual. It's about the thoughts you have about yourself and your presence in this world. Knowing what you have and what you don't have are also part of self awareness. There was some research in the field of self awareness. According to a study on how the self-awareness gets developed in individuals. The scientists marked a red dot on the nose of infants and toddlers. Then they are shown the mirror. The small infants (1 year old and less) reach out to the mirror and not to their face. Older kids in age group of 18 months reached the mirror and their face equally. 80% of toddlers of age 22-24 months reached out their own nose. This proved the feeling of self awareness in a simple test.

Types of Self Awareness

There are different types of self awareness. Seems like you are baffled. These types of self awareness can be public and private in nature.

Public Self-Awareness is the awareness of you as appearing in front of others. When people are at the centre of attraction, they seem to be more public self aware. Giving a presentation or standing in front of group of friends is few of the examples of public self awareness places. Adherence to Social norms and behaviour is what is expected when we are present in front of public. It also comes to a situation where we are constantly watched and evaluated, causing us to behave in ways and norms acceptable to the society. It is the situation when people become stress and get very anxious. Stage fear is one of the outcomes of this situation only. Self awareness in public can cause you to become very conscious of how you look and appear.

Private Self-Awareness occurs when we get aware of our things in only private way. For example, watching yourself in mirror is one type of private self-awareness. It can also be the heart flutters which you feel when you see someone you love from a distance. It can also be the anxiety just before the exam starts.

Factors in Self Awareness

Emotional Awareness - It is getting to know about what makes you emotional and what makes your heart flutter. If you know what impacts your thoughts and actions is emotional self-awareness.

Personality Factors - If we tend to know our own personality on what are the values and needs based on which we move in life, we are trying to uncover the personality driven awareness for oneself. It can help us find places where we will be comfortable and succeed. It also helps us to fund the places of less anxiety for us. You can adapt your workplace if you know your personality type and can be at the right place where you can thrive.

Habits and Values also enable us to succeed and focus. Currently in the fast paced world, you can lose the sight of your daily priorities. What we end up doing is spending too much time in things we value little. If we know our value system then we can stay close to it and can accomplish which we value more and strive for in our lives. The often repeated routinely things called habit is sometimes very annoying for others. We can very easily find the habits which reduces our efficiency. Knowing them, will make us better and stronger. If you can avoid the habit, we need to accept it and manage it.

Needs - You should be well aware of what you need from life. If you are not clear on what your needs are then you end up in situation which makes you uncomfortable and incomplete.

At the end self-awareness can also be defined as something which can make you learn about your own values and personality, needs, habits, emotions, strengths, weaknesses, etc. Self-awareness in current times is very important and useful tool.

How to be self aware?

Daily Writing - Writing your feelings daily makes you know yourself better. Something written in a moment can be reviewed later in a different mood and times altogether giving it completely different meaning. This will help you build your own set of mood meter on what makes you happy and what not.

Define your own role in each hat you are weaning daily - family person, professional commitments, social commitments, etc. all needs to be looked at and then define the roles you are expected to play and you like to play.

Personal aspects - Answer some of the personal aspects of your life like - your strengths and weaknesses, core beliefs in life, worst and best dreams, etc. It can range to romantic relation and your expectation from love and care as well.

"The quest to prove who you are will have no meaning once you find who you are."