A Lesson in Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is the conscious knowledge of one’s character, feelings, motives, and desires.

Would you consider yourself to be self-aware?

Is self-awareness something you think about often, or do you just put it in the back of your mind and live freely?

One Sunday, on the way to my friend’s house, I was briefing my kids on the importance of making sure they stay safe at the get-together, meaning to put a little distance between them as they play. If you have kids, you understand that they have no concept of personal space, so I felt it was my duty as their mom to give them a little reminder.

My seven-year-old, Avery, took my words and ran with them. She was having a blast, swimming around like the little fish that she is, but she kept her distance from her friend. She played with her friend but made it obvious that she was trying to avoid her.

One of the parents ended up confronting my daughter because they noticed how awkward she was behaving. After being confronted, Avery started crying because she felt embarrassed and sad that she made the other little girl feel sad.

That day, I received a compliment about Avery’s level of self-awareness. She realized that other people saw her acting out of character, felt upset that she was acting out of character and people noticed, and that it made her sad that she made someone else sad. Avery is extremely self-aware, despite taking my words literally.

Adults can learn so much from children. Sometimes, they teach us the best lessons.

If we learn to be as self-aware as Avery was on that Sunday afternoon, the world would be a better place. Self-aware breeds a high level of consideration for others. It also breeds humility and a willingness to apologize, listen better, and not be defensive.

It’s important to think about what we say before we say it.

It’s important to know that saying what comes to our head might feel good at that moment, but we might regret it later, or saying it might lead to consequences.

It’s important to acknowledge people’s feelings and apologize.

It’s important to know that it doesn’t always matter what we think of ourselves, but how we treat others.

I am thankful that Avery’s friend dilemma was solved. After all, relationships are at the core of living a happy, fulfilled life.

Did you know it’s a proven fact that embracing your community and strengthening your relationships helps us live longer and be happier? Over the years, I’ve done a lot of research on this topic. Recently, I found an entry on a study done at Harvard. “The surprising finding is that our relationships and how happy we are in our relationships have a powerful influence on our health,” said Robert Waldinger, director of the study, a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital and a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. “Taking care of your body is important but tending to your relationships is a form of self-care too. That, I think, is the revelation.”

When it comes to health, it is important to know that being healthy is not just about the food on our plate. It’s about the relationships you have, the water you drink, the air you breathe, the love in your life, how often you move your body, whether you have a fulfilling career and spiritual practice.

Health is wealth.