UNDERSTANDING THE POWER OF SELF
“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” — Aristotle
What Is Self?
The self is the totality of who we are —how we think, how we process our thoughts, how we react to situations, our memories, what we believe in and our experiences. It is who we were, who we are and who we are becoming. Psychologist Carl Rogers described the self as an organized, consistent set of perceptions and beliefs about oneself. This means that our self is the mirror through which we view the world, interpret our experiences and make choices.The self is not unchanging or static, it grows and develops as we encounter new experiences and learn from them. When you become self aware, when you start having full knowledge of your strengths, weaknesses, desires, and fears, you begin to gain control over your life rather than letting life control you.The greatest strength a person can possess lies within. This is the great power of self-understanding the power of self means realizing that you alone hold the ability and power to influence your emotions, the decisions you make, the actions you take and basically the way you live. It’s about recognizing that your happiness, sadness, growth, and success are not entirely dependent on external factors, but rather on your mindset and self-belief.
When you understand the power of self, you: Stop seeking validation from others, start making choices that agree with your values, start developing strength to handle challenges along the line and start building confidence in your abilities. The power of self is the quiet confidence that says: I know who I am, I am enough, I can do this, I can handle this and this is beneath me.
The truth about self is simple yet deep: you are your greatest project. No one else can live your life, feel your emotions, or build your destiny. Every experience whether pleasant or painful shapes the person you are becoming. You do not find yourself because its not something to be found, you build yourself because that’s the perfect thing thing to do that is building yourself to exactly what you want to become. Through reflection, learning, and self-acceptance, you create the version of yourself that goes in line with your purpose. As Lao Tzu wisely said, “Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.”
The advantages of self awareness can never be over emphasized. Self-awareness brings clarity in thought and action. It gives you the ability to observe and examine your thoughts and behavior and also the ability to make sound decisions objectively. Other advantages of self awareness include but not limited to:
- Better Decision-Making: When you know yourself, you make choices that mirrors your true values rather than easily conforming to what the society wants.
- Improved Relationships: A person who is self aware is likely communicate more effectively, create and understand the need to respect boundaries in interpersonal relationships and handle conflicts with maturity because they understand both their needs and the needs of others.
- Personal Growth: Self Awareness helps an individual to identify areas for improvement both in their life and business, making it easier to set realistic goals.
- Mental Stability: self awareness reduces anxiety and panic because you understand what triggers you and how to manage your emotions at any time.
In essence, self-awareness turns confusion into clarity and fear into focus. Lack of self awareness on the other hand can lead to confusion, poor decisions and life choices, the constant need to appeal to people and unfulfilled potentials. Without self awareness, people often: Follow others blindly thereby losing their individuality, stay trapped in toxic environments or habits out of fear of what people might say, fail to understand why they feel unhappy or unmotivated.
Living without self-awareness is like sailing on a stormy sea without a compass, you’re moving already with fear, but without direction, you might appear busy, but not purposeful. Just an empty mind, wandering aimlessly.If you ever find yourself unsure of who you are or where you’re heading, don’t panic, self-awareness can be developed. Here are things to do in order to gradually develop your self awareness.
- Practice Self Reflection: Spend a few minutes daily putting down or thinking about your actions and feelings. Ask yourself; Why did I react that way? Why do I feel this way? Why did I say this?.
- Seek Feedback: Sometimes others see things we don’t. Ask trusted friends or mentors for honest feedback. Ask about what they could’ve done in a particular situation, or what is perfect or not to say in a particular situation.
- Meditate or Spend Time Alone: Solitude helps you reconnect with your inner voice, away from external noise. It helps you reexamine who you’ve been, who you are and who you’re becoming.
- Read Books and Learn: Books on psychology and personal development helps in opening you up for new perspectives.
- Be Kind to Yourself: Self-awareness is not about judging yourself; it’s about understanding what needs to be done in order to improve.
Understanding the power of self is not a one-time realization , it’s a lifelong journey. The more you understand who you are, the more control you have over who you become and that is the more you realize how much power you wield over your life totally. True growth begins not when you change others, but when you apply that change in yourself.
