067 Four Ways to Be More Self-Aware

People who are self-aware are more fulfilled, have stronger relationships, are more creative, more confident and better communicators. They’re less likely to lie, cheat or steal and they do better at work and are more promotable (all according to the research).  

Earlier this month, I talked about the difference between being self-aware and being mindful. All month I’ve been writing and podcasting about why being mindful will bring more happiness into your life and how being mindful will definitely make you more self-aware. Today, I’m going to tap the brakes on all the mindfulness and focus on my top tips for being more self-aware.

First, I want to make sure that everyone listening knows about my YouTube Channel. I call these Connection Quickies and these are quick tips (less than 10 minutes) for deepening your connection with your partner and to communicate better with others in general. 

There are two types of people: those who think they’re self-aware and those who actually are. According to research by Tasha Eurich (I’ll link to her cool Ted Talk on this topic in the show notes), 95% of people think they’re self-aware but the real number is closer to 10-15%.

But how can this be? I’ve been to therapy and I’ve watched Oprah! The issue is that we have a TON that’s hidden from our conscious awareness. We don’t realize this but we just “feel” that something is true, so we put that out there, but we’re actually wrong a lot of the time! 

Today I’m going to teach you 4 other tools to get you there: 

Self-Awareness Tool #1: Take a look in the mirror

A great tool to be more self-aware is to notice who pisses you off in your day-to-day interactions. It’s common to be annoyed by qualities in someone that we don’t like in ourselves. These qualities might be blind spots so you might not realize that these are things you need to work on or be aware of. 

Self-Awareness Tool #2: Life Timeline Exercise

Check out my free download (located below the resources & links section) to quickly and easily create your Life Timeline Exercise so you can start being more self-aware today! 

Self-Awareness Tool #3: Ask for Feedback

We all have traits that others see, but we are unable to see in ourselves. We call these “blind spots.” Do you see yourself as others see you? If not, you can address these blind spots by receiving honest feedback from people you trust.

Self-Awareness Tool #4: Ask What not Why

In Tasha Eurich’s research on self-awareness she found one thing that separated the folks that were self-aware from the folks who just thought they were. And that was that the self-aware people asked “what” and not “why.” So, instead of asking “Why did this happen to me?” start asking, “What could I do now to move forward?”

Resources and Links:

Tasha Eurich’s Tedx Talk on Self Awareness

“Stranger to Ourselves” by Timothy Wilson

Enter your name and email below to get the Timeline Exercise PDF today.

Want more? Sign Up for my Newsletter and never miss a beat!

Subscribe & Review in iTunes
Are you subscribed to my podcast yet? Well, what are you waiting for? You know you want to make your relationship awesome and getting a weekly reminder on specific ways to do just that is a perfect way to get there! Click here to subscribe in iTunes
 
If you’re up for giving me some extra love, I’d be so very grateful if you’d leave me a review over on iTunes too (make iTunes a link). Reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you so much!
Dr. Abby with her Book "Be Happily Married, Even If Your Partner Won't Do A Thing"

GRAB MY BOOK!

Create a happy, connected relationship, even if your partner won’t do a thing! Get my Amazon #1 best-selling book: Be Happily Married Even if Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing.

Relationships Made Easy with Dr. Abby Medcalf Podcast

SIGN UP FOR MY NEWSLETTER

Get your weekly dose of inspiration to keep you on track!

Relationships Made Easy with Dr. Abby Medcalf Podcast

GET MY FREE COMMUNICATION TOOL KIT!

Build a connected, loving relationship with the FREE Communication Tool Kit for Couples.

READ MY ARTICLES FOR MY TOP RELATIONSHIP TIPS AND TOOLS!

Most Popular Episodes

GOT FAMILY STRESS? HOW TO NOT GET TRIGGERED BY FAMILY

GOT FAMILY STRESS? HOW TO NOT GET TRIGGERED BY FAMILY

Are you dealing with family stress? Lashing out at your mom for that condescending thing she said? Feeling guilty that you’re avoiding your dad because he drives you crazy? Today you’re going to learn my top three tips to not get triggered by family so you can find...

HOW TO DEAL WITH TOXIC FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

HOW TO DEAL WITH TOXIC FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

What do you do when an extended family member is creating a toxic atmosphere at family gatherings? How do you draw boundaries and feel seen and heard when dealing with toxic family relationships? I'm going deep on this question in today's episode! Ask Dr. Abby is the...

Dr. Abby Medcalf's weekly newsletter

Get your weekly dose of inspiration to keep you on track!

Subscribe today to get my weekly thoughts, best practices and funny stories (you won’t believe my life!). This weekly reminder will keep you motivated to stay on the path to creating connected, happy relationships (especially the one with yourself)!

Get your weekly love letter with all things Abby and life

Subscribe today to get my weekly thoughts, best practices and funny stories (you won’t believe my life!). This weekly reminder will keep you on the path to creating connected, happy relationships (especially the one with yourself)!

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Get your weekly newsletter with all things Abby and life

Subscribe today to get my weekly thoughts, best practices and funny stories (you won’t believe my life!). This weekly reminder will keep you on the path to creating connected, happy relationships (especially the one with yourself)!

You have Successfully Subscribed!