Self-Awareness to Start: Looking Inwardly, Acting Outwardly |
People who engage in more self-understanding are at an advantage.
Accepting ourselves and working with our style is the most ideal way to grow.
Self-awareness is the start, but additional action is often needed as well.
We are currently in a phase of civilization in which humans have more time and energy for self-exploration. The self-help sections in bookstores and libraries have grown exponentially. Psychology has become one of the more popular college majors. There has been a shift to mental health being valued much more than in past centuries, particularly as fewer people are continuously in life-or-death-survival mode.
Various societal advancements, from cars to washing machines, have provided us with the potential for more efficiency, leisure time, and contemplation. Technology has also given us tools to engage in more of this self-reflection—right at our fingertips—and this information is accessible to more people than ever before. And although the offerings vary in terms of solid scientific foundations, there is no debate in the field of neuroscience that change and growth are indeed possible throughout our lifetime (known as neuroplasticity).
Self-wisdom matters. But wisdom alone is not generally enough for change.
To highlight the pursuit of self-knowledge and self-improvement as a part of a life well-lived, six metaphors are shared here as a means of further supporting the value of going in and then out.
The Artichoke: Opening Up to Self-Awareness Step-by-Step
Having an “aha” moment can be exciting, and personality quiz results can be enlightening; however, deep self-analysis often requires significant exploration. Fuller understanding of our fears, worries, and beliefs takes slow, steady work for most people. Like pulling back layers to reach the artichoke heart, self-awareness requires peeling away harder, defensive layers to reach the inner, tender self. While the breadth and depth of........