All of us have experienced moments when we felt like a jumble and were unable to identify our feelings or self. We reach the point where we start to wonder, “Who am I?” As simple as the question is, much more complex is the answer to it. To be able to respond to that question, extensive self-observation is required. Hence, an individual requires self-awareness. Self-awareness is the capacity to shrewdly observe what transpires inside of ourselves as though it were happening to someone else.

In philosophy, self-awareness is the experience of one’s own personality or individuality. It shouldn’t be confused with consciousness in the qualia sense. While self-awareness is the realization of that awareness, consciousness is the awareness of one’s environment, body, and lifestyle.

Definition

Psychologists Shelley Duval and Robert Wick Lund proposed this definition: “Self-awareness is the ability to focus on yourself and how your actions, thoughts, or emotions do or don’t align with your internal standards.”

Types of Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is a complex concept that includes not only our relationship to and understanding of ourselves, but also how we present ourselves to others and our awareness of that presentation. Psychologists have divided self-awareness into two categories, either public or private, in order to make it easier to explain.

Public Self-Awareness

This type of awareness emerges when people are aware of how they appear to others. Public self-awareness often emerges in situations when people are at the centre of attention. People who possess this kind of self-awareness are frequently forced to follow social conventions. We frequently try to act in ways that are socially acceptable and desirable when we are aware that we are being observed and judged.

Public self-awareness can also result in evaluation anxiety, a condition when a person worries about how other people will evaluate them and feels concerned, anxious or
worried about it.

Examples of Public self-awareness

You may experience public self-awareness in the workplace, when you are giving a big presentation or you may have experienced it while telling a story to a group of friends.

Private Self-Awareness

When people become aware of some elements of themselves, but only in a private way,
this form of awareness occurs. One instance of private self-awareness is when you look in the mirror.

Examples of Private self-awareness

Examples of private self-awareness  include feeling your stomach turn when you realize you neglected to study for a crucial exam or your heart skip a beat when you encounter someone you find attractive.

Importance of self-awareness

It is crucial to understand our self-worth and value in this day and age of social media when anyone may judge us and say anything about us, leading to self-doubt, poor self-esteem, and low self-confidence. Therefore, it is crucial to be aware of all of our qualities, strengths, weaknesses, actions, feelings, and significance so that the perspectives of others don’t have an impact on us. Its importance is not limited to this only some of its importance are listed below:

• • Understand who we are and what we want

• • Identity our strength and weakness

• • Control how we present ourselves

• • Shape our decision

• • Teaches us to say no

• • Being better able to manage and regulate your emotions

• • Better communication

• • Better overall perspective

• • Better decision-making skills

• • Improved relationships

• • Higher levels of happiness

• • More confidence

• • Better job satisfaction

• • Better leadership skills

• • Better overall perspective

• • More likely to make better choices

• • Foster empathy

    
    

    How to be more self-aware

    Self-awareness is a lifelong process that involves continuously being aware of ourselves as we go through various stages of life. It is not only something that can be accomplished in a day or a week. Although becoming more self-aware isn’t always simple, doing so can make you a better leader and version of yourself. You must comprehend the value of understanding yourself if you want to develop self-awareness. The following advice can help you become more self-aware.
    
    

    Keep an open mind. 
    You might become more sensitive to other people’s feelings when you have control over your own emotional world. You need to be interested in new individuals and what they have to give if you want to be a successful leader. This demonstrates that you can work well with others and don’t always have to be the best. The more open you are to others, the more creative you will become.
    
    

    Practice mindfulness
    The definition of mindfulness is awareness that develops via deliberate, non-judgmental attention in the present moment. It’s important to be aware of your thoughts. According to this perspective, paying attention entails a generous and curious approach to our ideas, intentions, and conduct.
    
    

    Journaling
    In order to cultivate your practice of self-awareness, keeping a notebook is meant to help you get to know yourself better than ever. It’s an opportunity to communicate with your subconscious feelings you might be overlooking or ignoring.
    
    

    Meditation
    One positive side effect of practicing awareness meditation is that we begin to see ourselves more clearly through the process. We can grow more intimate with ourselves, our needs, our desires, and our limitations by quieting the commotion and observing our thoughts without judgment or inner commentary.
    
    

    Practice solitude
    Not only is solitude a mental condition that is necessary for the growth of our inner lives, but it is also a discipline that gets us ready to engage in social and political life. We must learn to keep meaningful company with ourselves before we can keep meaningful company with others.
    
    

    Be mindful of your strengths and weaknesses
    People that are self-aware are aware of their strengths and weaknesses and can work from those positions. Knowing when to ask for help and when to tackle a crisis on your own requires awareness of this.
    
    

    Stay focused
    Making connections is a crucial aspect of leadership, but you can’t do that if you’re preoccupied. Train yourself to focus for long periods of time without getting sucked into social media, emails or other small distractions to improve your productivity. 
    
    

    Set boundaries
    A leader needs to put strong limits in place. Be warm toward others, but say no when it’s needed. To preserve the integrity of your objectives and the effort you put into them, be serious about your work and your passions and establish clear boundaries.
    
    

    Know your emotional triggers
    Self-aware people are able to recognize their feelings while they are occurring. Instead of suppressing or denying your feelings, work with them and let them run their course before speaking to others.
    
    

    Embrace your intuition
    People that are successful learn to follow their intuition when making decisions and accept the risks involved. Your instincts are driven by a desire to achieve and the theory of the fittest surviving. Learn to trust your instincts since they will tell you what to do next.
    
    

    Practice self-discipline
    Good leaders tend to be disciplined in every area of their lives. This trait provides them with the enduring focus necessary for strong leadership.
    
    

    Consider how your actions affect others
    We frequently behave without thinking first and simply consider our own wants. While self-awareness necessitates acknowledging your feelings, you also need to recognize how you deal with them and how your actions could affect people around you.
    
    You can get through challenging circumstances by being more thoughtful of others.

    Being truthful with oneself about who you are is a sign of self-awareness. You become more authentic and real as a result of your honesty. Being self-aware offers us the ability to shape outcomes, improves our ability to make decisions, and boosts our confidence. We are able to communicate with clarity and purpose, which enables us to comprehend situations from various angles. It frees us from assumptions and biases of others. It is crucial that we take time for ourselves in this hectic pace of life so that we can be self-aware.
    
    
    

• • Reference

• •  Harvard business review
  •  Wikipedia
  • Verywellmind.com
  • Futurelearn.com
  • Headspace.com
  • Lifeskillthatmatters.com 
  • talentinsights
  • www.hrh.com 
  • verywellmind.com