Can you really change your life? Life is tough. It’s not always easy to make the changes you want to make. But, change will happen when you stop trying so hard and start letting things go. You feel stuck, and you want things to change. You want to write that book, lose that extra weight, or both. The key to achieving those goals? It’s awareness. We take for granted our ability to observe our own behaviour. Before we can transform anything, we need to know what it is that needs transforming. Self-awareness allows us to see the reality of our situations. Self-awareness is vital to self-transformation.
The power of self-awareness
People love to say that self-awareness is the key to changing our lives, but it’s really difficult to meet our own expectations. We go through life, self-limiting ourselves before we even realize that we’re doing it. Most of the time, we don’t see it coming. The only way to identify our own limitations is to be aware of our thoughts, patterns and interactions with other people.
You’ve made a resolution to change. You know what you need to do, but it will be more difficult for you to succeed if you don’t recognize why you need to change and start to make changes before you fully recognize the benefits of changing. You can make the change in your life by recognizing what needs to be changed and then going out and doing things differently.
Step 1: Awareness of your reality
You’re here because you want to change. That’s a great place to start. The question that remains is, ‘Where do I start?’.
Before you can make any sort of change, you must first realize where you are in your life. How you arrived there is not so important as understanding why you are there and how you’ll get out of there. You have to be willing to face the truth about what you’ve become. All of your characteristics stem from you. You have no control over them and it’s simply not your fault that you’ve arrived where you are. It’s hard to change what you can’t see. You must first be able to accept who you are to make any real progress towards your goal. It’s like turning around an oil tanker that’s been heading in the wrong direction.
Step 2: Awareness of your mind
Now it’s time to look at your mental state to understand why you’re stuck. The state of your mind is your self-perception. What is going on inside your mind that’s causing you to be stuck? When you start to recognize your behaviour and start to see the impact it has on you and those around you, you’ll gain a greater sense of understanding and the ability to modify your behaviour accordingly.
For example, you may recognize your fear of flying, but without a clear goal and a clear idea of how to achieve it, you may remain stuck in your fear and consequently, flight anxiety. Without a clear goal and a clear knowledge of how to progress, it’s impossible to begin the path to improvement.
Step 3: Awareness of your emotions
There are certain emotions that we feel which are attached to our thoughts, and thus are not conscious. We can become aware of these emotions by letting go of the thought and becoming aware of the feelings at the moment. Emotions are like shadows that “live” inside of our bodies. When we pay attention to them, we are aware of them. By becoming aware of our emotions, we can let them go so that they don’t keep us down.
Oftentimes, we avoid change because of the fear of how we will feel. When you understand the way your mind works and how your emotions react to situations, you will have the insight to make better choices and motivate yourself to become whatever you wish. Be grateful for everything that has occurred, but be willing to make changes that will better your life. Recognize how your past has shaped you. Realize that change is possible.
Conclusion
When our behaviour comes from a place of internal motivation, we are happier, more fulfilled, and stronger. On the other hand, when our behaviour comes from fear or anxiety, our lives and relationships are filled with toxic levels of frustration, anxiety, stress, and depression. If you are ready to transform yourself into the person you wish you were and have access to the positive encouragement and motivation you need to do so, then you are on the right track. Don’t wait to begin living your fullest life because you’re too afraid to move. So what are you waiting for? Start today.
