First and foremost, what does being self-aware mean to me?

➡️ Being able to look at my life, who I am, and what I believe from a 3rd-person POV to determine if it aligns with my overall goals for life

➡️ Asking myself the tough questions and being honest with my answer

➡️ Separating who I am from the thoughts I have and taking full responsibility for my actions and reactions

Being a self-aware individual means that I practice introspection daily.

Introspection is “the examination or observation of one’s own mental and emotional processes.”It’s an integral aspect of my life and how I more deeply understand myself.

When I have an emotional response to something, I ask myself:

➡️ Why do I feel this way?

➡️ What does my response say about what I believe and who I am, or what I’m struggling with?

➡️ How would the ideal version of myself react in this situation?

When I have intrusive thoughts, I ask myself:

➡️ Are these thoughts rooted in truth?

➡️ Are these thoughts a genuine reflection of who I am as a person and what I believe?

➡️ What emotional response am I having to this thought, and why?

In general, some questions I ask myself are:

➡️ What parts of myself do I not like, and what am I doing to change that?

➡️ Do my thoughts reflect the type of person I’m trying to become? How about my words? My actions?

➡️ Are the things I say to others consistent with how I live my life?

➡️ Is the path I’m on and the things I do daily leading me to the end goal I have for life?

➡️ What beliefs do I have that are no longer serving me? Which beliefs should I consider adopting?

Thinking through these things can bring up some painful traumas or memories.

When I ask myself these questions, I try to remind myself that:

✅ My past doesn’t indicate my future.

✅ One mistake doesn’t make me a horrible person or define who I am.

✅ I’m in a constant evolution. Who I am today can be different than who I am tomorrow.

✅ Doing my “best” varies each day.

✅ I am not my thoughts. But I am my words and actions.