The Self-Awareness mirror
Hi all, I want to talk about self-awarenss here. You know that moment when you're scrolling through social media and suddenly feel irritated by someone's post, but you can't quite put your finger on why?
I had one of those moments yesterday, and instead of just scrolling past, I paused and asked myself: "What's really going on here?" Turns out, their success story was triggering my own insecurities about where I am in life. Once I recognized that, the irritation faded away and I was able to feel genuinely happy for them.
I guess this is what self-awareness looks like in real time, catching ourselves in our own reactions and getting curious about what's underneath, as a third person perspective. It's not about judging ourselves for having these feelings, but about understanding them, so they are not all who we are.
The IDG framework describes self-awareness as being in "reflective contact with own thoughts, feelings, and desires", basically becoming the observer of your own inner world instead of being completely swept up in it.
What's a recent moment when you caught yourself having a strong reaction to something? What do you think was really going on beneath the surface?
How do you practice checking in with yourself throughout the day?
@peacestorm1115 Love this insight! As for me, writing down even a sentence or two about what I’m feeling helps me step into that observer role.
@Phoenixthepoised OH yes me too i like to pen down sometimes what i have been through to understand it better
@AReineRose Writing really does help us make sense of things we didn’t even realize we were carrying! And so glad it resonates with you 💜
@peacestorm1115
I’ve had moments like that too something small triggers deeper feelings. Pausing to ask what’s really going on helps me understand myself better. I check in with myself by noticing when my mood changes during the day.
@softMagic3365 Noticing mood changes help you highlight your feelings and help you manage the situation better
@peacestorm1115 I noticed recently that i get upset quickly when someone tries to talk to me while i am focusing or working on something.
@peacestorm1115 I check in often after my reaction to see whether i did right or wrong.
@peacestorm1115 I recently caught myself having a reaction to an *** post. As you stated the post triggered my insecurities, and the reason why I was feeling annoyed by the post was because the picture was making me feel bad about myself. The post was someone graduating from Law school, I felt annoyed because at one point I wanted to go to law School, but stopped trying due to fear. I realized that post had nothing to do with me, and all to do with my own insecurities.
@peacestorm1115
very nice post! Self-Awareness is an art of identifying with one's inner child!
