Research has proven the benefits of self-awareness. It has been linked to performance at work and is one of the strongest predictors of personal and organisational success and satisfaction.
Dr Tasha Eurich @tashaeurich has conducted extensive research into self-awareness. She says that 95% of people believe they are self-aware, but only 10% – 15% actually are!
It makes sense, that more we know ourselves, the more we will know our needs and get our needs met, we will make better decisions for ourselves and in the long run our self-esteem will increase.
When I think about the times I have really learnt about myself, most of them are times I have been under a lot of stress or been challenged in some way.
For example, I know from previous medical experiences that when my body is under stress, I go deeply inward to care for myself and keep myself together. So, I knew when I gave birth that I would probably not want to be touched. I was able to let my husband know that was likely to be the case and forewarn him. I was right, after a certain stage, I wanted him there, but I didn’t want to be touched.
In the long run, having this kind of self-awareness is incredibly helpful in relationships, we are able to explain our tendencies and quirky habits to people close to us, so they can understand us more and we can get our needs met more easily.
What might you do today to increase your self-awareness?
Let’s share some ideas.
I’m going to ask for feedback from someone I trust.
Reference: Eurich, T. (2019). What Self-Awareness Really Is (and How to Cultivate It). [online] Harvard Business Review. click here