How to increase self-awareness
Sometimes I have bouts of vertigo, as a first aid I quickly as advised by my Neurologist attempt neck exercises with precise movement to regain my balance , then for the next few days will try to avoid anything that might trigger it further ,like usage of Laptop,ear plugins ,treadmill or any other strenuous physical activity that might create strain on my neck or inner ears .
My struggle with vertigo goes back to my childhood when it first started, as a kid I thought I had a dreadful disease which has no cure, but like any childhood memory I soon forgot all about it in my growing years , it was only when I started working as a workaholic, that it again came back ,the doctor blamed prolonged use of computer and a very stressful corporate life .
I was then back with my imbalanced world, accompanied by fear, anxieties, and phobias, making myself living a life of a recluse, all within me and all to myself!
But one blessed day, amidst my imbalanced life, God mercy manifested when I happen to attend a training session on looking inward, a term I thought was way too philosophical to find any practical use in our everyday life. But on the contrary, the program turned out to be a game changer for me , and as I started practicing looking more and more inward, it opened up doors to a new me.
To be candid, when I learned and found my inner self ,
I didn’t quite like the real me 🙂 but was taken aback by the insights that were getting created through the practice of self-awareness.
So are we saying Self awareness can solve all our problems ?
It may not really be able to offer solutions to every problem we encounter, ranging from physical ,emotional or mental , but it does hold a deep connection to root of all the problems, and if you ever been to or had an opportunity to attend any personal development workshops, stress management training, problem-solving techniques or a spiritual retreat just to name a few, closely observe ? what do you find ?
You will find, most of these programs, offer knowledge and solutions all rooted in self .
Any change starts and ends with a focus on “Self” the only person we hold a complete control on.
All we need is some courage to peep inside and the right approach to correct it when we find ourselves off the track.
And
Did my vertigo heal?
No, it did not heal completely, but with the new gained inner view, I understood the cause of it and have been able to successfully manage it effectively, without any anxieties and fear.
To make you a bit aware, let us begin with the meaning of Self-awareness which as per dictionary is “conscious knowledge of one’s own character and feelings”.
How do we increase self awareness ?
So, if you sometimes find yourself all jumbled in the head, way too confuse to even articulate what you are feeling; Do the following:-
1.Penn down your thoughts ,don’t worry about the grammar ,spelling error or even handwriting which no one may understand , just write all that comes to your mind ,and continue to write till you find most of you confusion transferred from your head to the paper
2.Let a day or few hours pass by
3.Go back and read what you wrote
4.Underline wherever you find a strong emotion reflecting in your writing
5.Label your emotions ( be as truthful as you can be , you may not show what you wrote to anyone ,but be true to your own self)
6.Compare the emotions you had when you were writing the note to what you feel now as you label them (are they the same, or do you experience any change)
7.Reflect, take a deep breath, pause and reflect again on every emotion you have expressed through in what you have written
8.Add (Why) did you felt that emotion, and write it
9.To your why response you can also go back into your past and think if your current emotions are related to something you have been holding from the past
(it could be anger, sense of loss, frustration, deep-rooted unsatisfied desires, grudge, envy, pain ) It could be anything.
Do this 9 step activity every time you feel, you behaved in a certain way, but failed to understand why you behaved the way you did.
This activity will open up your inner thoughts and you will be able to connect it back to a reason, making you be more aware of your inner self.
These 9 steps are not the only way increase self-awareness but are one of the ways to look inward and know thyself at a deeper level.
Practice it and I’m sure you will find these steps very useful and equally insightful, and if you want to learn more, feel free to write back or connect.
Happy Knowing thyself!
Mehnaz Amjad
