One of the secrets to a happy life

Self-awareness is critical to a happy, balanced life.

The dictionary defines it as "conscious knowledge of one's own character, feelings, motives, and desires.

Take a deep dive within yourself and explore that which makes you happy, sad, excited, nervous, peaceful.

Analyze your words.

Assess your motives.

Delve into your deepest desires.

Only by paying attention to your feelings can you truly get to know yourself -- the things that make you unique, the inherent qualities that set you apart.

It's not about criticizing yourself, but rather being cognizant of your patterns of thought and behavior.

Just because you acknowledge your faults doesn't mean you dwell on them. But recognizing them enables you to decide which ones you're willing to accept as well as the ones that call for change.

Self-awareness doesn't necessarily stop you from making mistakes -- it allows you to learn from them so that you're less apt to repeat them in the future.

It also enables you to learn from your successes so that you may continue to build upon them.

Billie Jean King once said, "I think self-awareness is probably the most important thing towards being a champion."

For his part, Lao Tzu reasoned that, "He who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is enlightened."

When you know yourself, you're empowered. When you accept yourself, you're practically invincible. And when you love yourself, you are firmly positioned to love others.

Without self-awareness, we cannot reach our fullest potential -- thus the reason it's so pivotal to reaching one's goals and ensuring a happy life.

Comments

Do you have Isolophilia? Find out...

You're probably asking yourself, "What in the world does Isolophilia mean?" It sounds like it would be something negative, doesn't it? After all, words that end in "philia" (e.g., pedophilia) tend to involve things we want nothing to do with. But Isolophilia isn't something all people deplore. In fact, introverts like me welcome it. Put simply, Isolophilia is defined as having a strong affinity for solitude. It describes a person who relishes being alone. While extroverts can only take so much solitude, we introverts find that it rejuvenates us. In order to recharge our batteries, we need to retreat to a quiet environment where we we're left alone to rest and/or gather our thoughts. Extroverts, on the other hand, become bored and drained when they're alone for a lengthy period of time. Social interaction is the fuel that drives them. So while an extrovert would probably do anything to avoid feelings of Isolophilia in most cases, an...

No response from someone IS a response

Make no mistake about it: When you don't get a response from someone -- whether they fail to answer your texts or return your phone calls -- it is still a response, and a powerful one at that. When a person fails to respond, it's a direct reflection of their interest -- or lack thereof -- in the relationship. Few things are more aggravating than having to hound a partner, friend, or relative for some sort of reply after we've reached out to them. Yes, we get busy from time to time, but that doesn't give anyone the right to leave the other person hanging. A terse text with something like "Been busy, will reach out soon" doesn't say much, but at least it shows some effort to bring the other person up to speed on why they've fallen off the radar. Failing to provide a response for weeks -- if not months -- communicates that you are just not a priority, and that you'll have to wait your turn to get this individual's attention. This is n...

An important note to women about men and attraction

I was raised by my mom, grandma, and two older sisters. Growing up, never did I ever take any interest in the girls at school who tended toward exposing more skin. I always treated them as I would my female family members -- with the utmost courtesy and respect. And anytime I suspected that a male friend or acquaintance of mine adopted a hump-and-dump attitude toward women, I nixed them from my life. I held men who treated women as objects in very low regard, and still do to this day. If women feel empowered to show off their bodies because they love and work hard on their physique, more power to them. In other words, if they're doing it to please THEMSELVES and no one else, good for them. However, those who do it specifically to curry men's favor are making a big mistake. It sends the wrong signals and actually makes it less likely that a man will want to stick around for a committed relationship (if that's what you want as anyway). Granted, if you're not lookin...

How To Understand People

Search This Blog