Day 8: How to Become More Self-Aware

Self-awareness is all about you, where you are more enlightened about yourself, your 
thoughts and emotions, and your actions. It might seem obvious, but most people 
actually are not very self-aware at all. But by encouraging more awareness, you are 
able to focus more on mindfulness and meditation, along with other ways to change 
your mindset and improve your life.


Practice Mindfulness

One of the first steps to becoming more self-aware is to practice mindfulness. 
Mindfulness means paying attention to the present moment without judgment. When 
you're mindful, you're fully engaged in what you're doing, feeling, or thinking. 

You can start practicing mindfulness by taking a few minutes each day to focus on your 
breath, the sensations in your body, or the sounds around you. With practice, you'll start 
to become more aware of your thoughts, feelings, and actions.


Keep a Journal

Journaling can be a powerful tool for increasing self-awareness. Writing about your day, 
your thoughts, and your feelings can help you reflect and gain insights into yourself. You 
might start to notice patterns, like what makes you happy, sad, stressed, or relaxed. 
Remember, your journal is a place for honesty. Be open and truthful with yourself in 
your writing.


Listen to Your Body

Your body can tell you a lot about how you're feeling. Are your shoulders tense? Is your 
heart beating faster? Are you feeling tired? These can all be signals about your 
emotional state. By paying attention to these physical cues, you can become more 
aware of your emotions and what might be causing them.


Seek Feedback

Sometimes, we need an outside perspective to help us understand ourselves better. 
You can ask trusted friends, family members, or teachers for their honest feedback. 
Maybe they've noticed things about you that you haven't. Remember, it's important to be 
open and receptive to their feedback, even if it might be hard to hear.


Challenge Your Thoughts

Part of self-awareness is understanding your thought patterns. We all have thoughts 
that pop into our heads throughout the day. Some of these thoughts are helpful, while 
others are not. Challenge your thoughts by asking yourself: Is this thought accurate? Is 
it helpful? Through this process, you can learn to identify and change unhelpful thinking 
patterns, leading to greater self-awareness.

Becoming more self-aware is a journey that requires patience and practice. But the 
rewards are worth it. You will learn how to understand yourself better and can use the 
skills you learn for just about every area of your life.

