The Power of Self-Awareness

Elmen Lamprecht
Sep 2
7 min read

Self-awareness is a fundamental aspect of human experience, serving as the foundation for personal growth, emotional intelligence, and effective interpersonal relationships. Psychologists have long studied self-awareness, recognizing its critical role in shaping our thoughts, behaviors, and overall well-being. This blog delves into what psychologists say about self-awareness, exploring its definition, significance, and practical applications.

Smiling woman touches bathroom mirror. Text on image: "Self-awareness introspection" and "www.beresolute.life." Tile background.

Understanding Self-Awareness

At its core, self-awareness is the ability to introspect and recognize one's own emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. It involves an understanding of how these internal states influence our actions and how we are perceived by others. According to psychologists Shelley Duval and Robert Wicklund, who introduced the concept of self-awareness theory in the 1970s, self-awareness arises when individuals focus their attention on themselves as objects of observation. This theory posits that self-awareness can lead to heightened self-evaluation and the alignment of behavior with personal standards.

Psychologists differentiate between two primary types of self-awareness:

Private Self-Awareness: This refers to an inward focus on personal thoughts, feelings, and internal states. Individuals with high private self-awareness are introspective, often reflecting on their inner experiences and emotions. This form of self-awareness is linked to greater emotional intelligence, as it involves recognizing and understanding one's own emotional responses.
Public Self-Awareness: This involves an outward focus on how one is perceived by others. Individuals with high public self-awareness are conscious of their social image and how their behaviour aligns with societal expectations. This form of self-awareness can enhance social skills and empathy, as it requires understanding and responding to the reactions of others.

Through Private and Public Self-Awareness, we continuously define, refine and consolidate our understanding of ourselves. This dynamic process is multifaced and involve several different dimensions.

Awareness of Thought Patterns: Understanding how one's thought processes influence perceptions and behaviours is crucial aspect of self-awareness. This involves recognizing conscious and unconscious cognitive patterns such as prejudice, habitual thinking patterns, and automatic responses.
Emotional Awareness: This dimension pertains to recognizing and understanding one's own emotional patterns. It involves being attuned to what one is feeling at any given moment and understanding the underlying causes of these emotions. Emotional awareness is crucial for managing stress, making informed decisions, and navigating social interactions.
Self-Reflection: This involves a deliberate and thoughtful examination of the holistic interaction of one's thoughts, feelings and behaviours on our individual experiences. Self-reflection allows us to gain insights into our motivations, attitudes, strengths, and weaknesses.
Accurate Self-Assessment: This dimension refers to having a realistic understanding of one's abilities, talents, and limitations. This should complement self-reflection and involves using peer-reviewed psychological tools to identify concepts such as your personality.
Social Awareness: This dimension extends self-awareness into the realm of social interactions. It involves understanding how one's behaviour impacts others and how their behaviour influence you, recognizing social cues, and being aware of the dynamics within social environments.

The Role of Self-Awareness in Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence (EQ) has garnered significant attention in both psychological research and popular culture for its profound impact on personal and professional success. At the heart of EQ lies a critical component: self-awareness. There is an intricate link between self-awareness and emotional intelligence, where self-awareness serves as the foundation for developing and enhancing EQ.

The concept of EQ refers to the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one's own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. Based on what we have already learned about Self-awareness, it makes sense that it is a foundational component of EQ, as it involves recognizing one's own emotional states and their impact on behaviour. Psychologist Daniel Goleman, a prominent figure in the study of EQ, emphasizes that self-awareness is crucial for developing the aspects of EQ. He identifies five key components of EQ:

Self-Awareness: Recognizing and understanding one's own emotions.
Self-Regulation: Managing one's emotions in healthy ways.
Motivation: Using emotions to drive oneself towards goals.
Empathy: Recognizing and understanding the emotions of others.
Social Skills: Managing relationships to move people in desired directions.

Among these components, self-awareness is foundational, providing the basis upon which other aspects of EQ are built. Self-awareness allows individuals to recognize their emotional triggers and understand the underlying causes of their emotions. This awareness is crucial for self-regulation, as it enables individuals to respond to situations in a more controlled and constructive manner. By understanding their emotions, people can develop strategies to manage stress, avoid impulsive actions, and maintain emotional stability.

In addition, self-aware individuals are better equipped to understand their motivations and set meaningful goals. It helps individuals stay focused on their objectives and persevere through difficulties. It seem natural that self-awareness is a prerequisite for empathy, as it requires individuals to be in touch with their own emotions before they can relate to the emotions of others.

By being aware of their own emotional states, individuals can better attune to the feelings of those around them, fostering deeper connections and improving interpersonal relationships. Lastly, effective communication and relationship management are key components of EQ. Self-aware individuals are more attuned to social cues and can navigate social interactions with greater ease. They are better equipped to manage conflicts, collaborate with others, and build strong, positive relationships. Self-awareness enhances social skills by promoting active listening, empathy, and appropriate responses to social situations.

Cultivating Self-Awareness

Developing self-awareness is a lifelong journey that requires intentional practice and reflection. In my book, The Daily Life of Resolute Beings, I recommend the following tools you can use to help you gain the self-awareness you require:

Awareness expanding solitary contemplation: To improve your self-awareness, solitary activities such as contemplation of yourself and your self-concepts are required. Find a quiet place where you can spend undisturbed time with yourself. Other solitary activities that boost self-awareness include meditation, journaling and spending time in nature.
Rely on a trusted network of family and friends: The best source of sincere, trustworthy guidance will always come from those who love and respect you the most. Ask them to give you feedback, and not just about your good qualities. Let them help you identify your triggers and blind-spots.
Personality questionnaires: Internationally recognized, peer-reviewed personality questionnaires are undoubtedly one of the best sources of self-awareness. Try and complete as many as possible to explore and confirm behavioural trends and personality characteristics. Start with the list below.
- Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
- DISC Assessment
- Enneagram
- CliftonStrengths (also known as StrengthsFinder)
Professional advice: Invest in yourself by speaking with professionals that specialise in helping others understanding themselves better. Spend a couple of sessions with a Life Coach, a Psychologist or a Counsellor. There are many professional services that would not cost you a lot. In fact, online LIVE Coaching has become quite popular (and cost effective) over the past few years. Additionally, many religious centres (churches/mosques/synagogues, etc), and educational centres (schools, universities, etc) offer free counselling services.

During this entire process, practice self-compassion. Being kind and compassionate towards oneself during the process of self-discovery is crucial. Self-awareness involves confronting uncomfortable truths and acknowledging imperfections, and self-compassion provides the emotional support needed to navigate this journey.

The Benefits of Self-Awareness

On your journey towards self-congruence, you will find several beneficial consequences related to your dedication. Yes, it is a hard, arduous journey, but the benefits are more than worth the effort

You find it easier to deal with the past: The kind of self-awareness related to the Daily Life of Resolute Beings naturally leads to self-acceptance and in so doing accepting the particulars of your past. It is a medicinal potion that cleans and heals the wounds of the past. It creates awareness of how your past contributes (yes, still contributes) towards your present and future, and how you can even turn negative past experiences into growth opportunities.
Improved emotional regulation: Self-aware individuals are better equipped to manage their emotions. By recognizing and understanding their emotional triggers, they can respond to situations in a more controlled and constructive manner.
Your dream of the future becomes clearer: “Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” Carl Jung. Knowing yourself cleans the various connections you have inside of you so that you can connect more clearly with the world around you and understand Intent better. Getting to know yourself is like cleaning the window that allows you to see your future more distinctly.
Enhanced decision-making: Self-awareness fosters better decision-making by allowing individuals to consider their values, goals, and motivations. This introspective process helps in making choices that align with one's true self, leading to greater life satisfaction.
You form deeper and longer lasting connections with others: “Love of others and love of ourselves are not alternatives. On the contrary, an attitude of love towards themselves will be found in all those who are capable of loving others." Erich Fromm. Through dealing with the pain and anguish associated with knowing and accepting yourself, you develop keen sense of shared humanity. You embrace the fact that all humans share the same struggles and exhibit behaviours that are tiggered by often unknown internal forces. Understanding and accepting yourself, with all its complexity and splendour, leads to more empathy for others.
Personal growth and increased psychological well-being: Self-awareness is a cornerstone of personal growth. By continually reflecting on their experiences, individuals can identify areas for improvement and strive for self-actualization. This process contributes to a greater sense of self-congruence, which are associated with higher levels of well-being. It helps individuals align their lives with their core values and principles, leading to a more fulfilling existence.
You serve as motivation to others: “Power rests on the kind of knowledge that one holds”. (Carlos Castaneda). Self-awareness releases so much energy that it starts radiating from you, energizing those around you. The power of Intent that flows through you, reaches others and bestow upon them the energy they need to kickstart their Resolute Life. Your shining example of self-awareness and self-acceptance will inspire others to also Live with Intent by embarking on their own journeys towards self-congruence.

Last words

Self-awareness is a powerful tool that can transform our lives, leading to improved emotional well-being, better decision-making, and stronger relationships. By understanding and cultivating self-awareness, we can navigate life's challenges with greater resilience and authenticity. Self-awareness also serves as the cornerstone of EQ, enabling individuals to manage their emotions, understand their motivations, empathize with others, and build strong social connections.

By cultivating self-awareness, we can enhance our emotional intelligence and unlock our potential for personal and professional success. As we continue to explore and develop our self-awareness, we pave the way for a more fulfilling and emotionally intelligent life.

If you found this blog valuable, please forward it to someone in your network who will also benefit from its message. Life is amazing but hard, and we all can benefit from sharing knowledge and wisdom that can help us life a Resolute Life.

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“The Daily Life of Resolute Beings” integrates philosophical insights with practical advice, encouraging readers to adopt a mindset of abundance, purposeful resource management and meaningful connectedness in pursuit of their goals. Order your book at any of the following sites: