by Nancy Bergeron, Registered Psychologist
Self-awareness is a simple phrase for a complicated set of information. It refers to an awareness of ourselves on many different levels: our body and our physical reactions; our emotions, preferences, and intentions; our goals and values; strengths and weaknesses; and our knowledge about how we come across to others. The more self-awareness we have, the more easily we can get to a place of understanding of how thoughts and feelings impact our actions and other people. Tuning in to ourselves and becoming more aware of what we are experiencing as we are experiencing it improves our Emotional Intelligence.
Spot Your Emotions
When listening to music, watching a movie or TV program, or reading a book, see if you can identify what feelings the character(s) might be experiencing. See if you can find the link between what they are feeling and how they are acting/reacting. Now, try to think of when you experienced similar feelings and how they influenced your behavior. What feelings do these characters evoke in you as you listen, watch or read?
Feel Your Emotions
When you are experiencing an emotion, try to identify how that emotion affects you physically. Tune into your body and see if your breathing has changed, are you holding your breath or breathing more rapidly? Has your body temperature become warmer or colder? Notice if your muscles have tensed or relaxed. Think about where in your body you are experiencing the feeling. Is the feeling in your chest or maybe your stomach? When we tune into our bodies, we begin to recognize our emotions more quickly.
Keep a Journal
When we begin to tune into our feelings, it can be overwhelming. We live in an age where we are taught to suppress our emotions, especially negative ones. Writing things down can help us track our emotions and the impact they have on us. When you feel an emotion, try to sit with it. Observe whether it causes discomfort, evokes a memory of happiness, sadness or maybe pain. Write down what emotions you experience, what physical sensations you notice, and what impact you think the emotion has on your behavior or on those around you. The more we suppress our emotions the less self-aware and emotionally intelligent we become.
Connect
Self-awareness can be challenging. As you are becoming more self-aware, you may want to reach out to a trusted friend, family member or mental health professional to explore any intense feelings and emotions that you uncover.
