There seems to be a buzz about self-awareness the last decade or so. It’s said that self-awareness is essential for leadership, for health, for peace, for effective parenting, and for healthy relationships, and I regularly talk about how self-awareness is beneficial for great sex. Why this push for self-awareness?
Here are a few reason you may want to be more self aware. As life becomes more driven by technology and productivity, people are encouraged to work harder and smarter, double-task, and take fewer breaks. Decades ago, a study evaluated the pace of life in 31 countries, and while Japan and Western European countries were ranked the fastest-paced, the US was right in the middle.[i] Many people are feeling the adverse effects of the modern approach to life.
The fast pace of life
In a faster-paced and less-connected world, we have reports of more anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Finding time to slow down and examine how the pace of life is impacting you may be one of the keys to maintaining or improving mental health. Mindfulness and awareness may provide skills for those who want to take a few steps to resist the speed of life.
The distractions of life
Humans are easily distracted[ii] and sometimes we purposefully distract ourselves to avoid painful realities in our lives.
Examine how you distract yourself. Many seemingly fine activities can be unhealthy coping mechanisms when taken to the extreme: eating, exercising, gaming, shopping, working, or drinking. However, avoiding the unpleasant aspects of our lives only delays progress. Mindfulness increases many skills that help individuals cope better with these hard realities.
Mindfulness and self-awareness may provide an antidote
Here are a few ways that mindfulness and greater awareness improve your skillset.
Mindfulness helps individuals
- Regulate emotions: Slowing down in a way that focuses on your body and thoughts helps individuals recognize emotions. Once emotions are labeled, individuals can identify triggers and make a plan for how to react.
- Decrease stress: It may seem counter-intuitive that being more aware can reduce stress, but the science supports this connection for everyone from nurses[iii] to students.[iv] Mindfulness allows space for people to be more aware of their mental state and feelings and gives them time to react more intentionally.
- Increase happiness: As individuals slow down, their reactions become more intentional, so they are better equipped to become who they want to be. They feel less pressure to conform to others and more empowered to pursue their goals. In a summary of many studies, a report indicated that mindfulness enhanced how individuals evaluated meaning in life.[v]
- Improve decision-making: By being more aware, individuals reduce assumptions and biases that can creep in with hasty decisions. Mindful individuals also are more attuned to understanding things from multiple perspectives.
- Build relationships: Mindful individuals empathize with others and see perspectives beyond their own.[vi] This is a critical skill in relationships and helps build connection with your spouse or partner.
- Capitalize on strengths: Mindful individuals are more aware of strengths and weaknesses. It’s great to know your strengths, but it may be even more important to know your weaknesses and understand how to improve. By understanding both your strengths and weaknesses, individuals are more likely to forgive[vii] and solve problems, and even experience more creativity.[viii]
Mindfulness isn’t a cure-all, but it is one way to strengthen your ability to make more intentional choices that also create connections with others. The recent focus on mindfulness and self-awareness is likely due to the stressful and fast paced lifestyle of our culture. These skills of pondering and slowing down may not have been as needed decades ago because life was not as hectic and filled with distraction. The pace of life was slower, allowing more time for intentional thought. Examine what your distractions and stressors are and evaluate whether a little more self-awareness could improve your life satisfaction.
