It’s not always easy to uncover our blind spots and gain real self-awareness. One way is to write down your self-talk, recording the exact words you use. Do this several times over the course of a week, and you’ll uncover a lot about how you think and perceive your world.
The exercise is even more valuable when we learn from it. Reflect on your inner monologue.
- What did you notice most?
- Did you notice any trends?
- How hard was it to be non-judgmental?
If you’re like most people, you might be surprised at the amount of negativity and critical content of your words. But here’s what’s important to know: you aren’t necessarily a negative or critical person. Everyone is negative and judgmental; that’s the way the human brain works.
Knowing how your mind-chatter works enables you to influence it. It explains much about how we perceive and react to the world. It also influences how others perceive and react to us. This self-awareness exercise helps us manage ourselves emotionally. It also enables us to manage others’ perceptions of us. Imagine how much easier it is to acknowledge how we can misperceive and misjudge situations when armed with enhanced self-awareness.
The more we understand our own minds, the more easily we can understand others’. This enables us to feel more empathy and compassion for others. It’s the reason why self-awareness is so valuable. We can’t connect with others well without self-knowledge and acceptance.
What do you think? Were you surprised to read what your inner voice says? How do you combat the negative self-talk? I’d love to hear from you – you can reach me here and on LinkedIn.
