Being conscious about your feelings, thoughts and behavior is all self-awareness is about.
The key to having a good mental health and eventually a good life is self-awareness. It is, in fact, the first step to understand the self. It is important to be aware of your inner self and the indicators that drive and influence you. Self-awareness enables people to integrate their values, vision and purpose with their behavior and personality on a deeper level.
Reflect on How You Respond to Situations
Take some time and reflect on how you are emotionally responding to situations. Sit with your thoughts and emotions and try to feel it through your bones. Initiate a talk with yourself as to why you are feeling what you are feeling. If there are negative feelings figure out their source and try to design a way in order to turn it into something positive.
Figure Out What Triggers Negative Emotions
Negative emotions are natural for everyone. Feeling shame, fear, anger, and sadness is the natural course of life. Most of the times, these emotions are triggered by people or situations around us. However, the problem arises when we fail to identify the situations that trigger these emotions. Examining the source of the trigger helps us to direct our negative emotions into something positive. It gives us a perspective on how to handle uncomfortable situations.
Find Out Your Source of Joy
Self-awareness does not always mean being aware of your negative emotions. It also means understanding what brings you joy or happiness. Figuring out the source of your happiness will help you to direct yourself towards situations that bring you a pleasant and exciting experience. Once you have figured out your source of happiness, you can almost always turn any negative situation into a positive one by planning or doing the activities that bring you happiness.
Don’t Rely on Your Mood
Your mood is usually the biggest liar. The battle between the head and the heart is what you need to overcome through self-awareness. A good mood or a bad mood is a momentary thing. Do not trust your mood to make decisions for you. Instead listen to both your heart and head. One is directed by emotions, the other by facts. Weigh both the sides and sleep on it before deciding. Chances are you will always find a middle ground.
