Sometimes we catch fleeting glimpses of it. But as soon as we’ve spotted it, it vanishes into thin air.
What is this mysterious quality that we think we possess, but actually rarely do? Most importantly, WHY is self-awareness so important?
Self-awareness is the ability to introspect and be aware of your own thoughts, feelings, impulses, physical sensations, and behaviors.
At a basic level, self-awareness is the ability to pay attention to who you are and what makes you tick. At more complex levels, self-awareness involves developing an understanding of your deeper beliefs, inner wounds, mental and emotional defense mechanisms, and repressed unconscious material – also known as self-understanding.
So what’s the difference between self-understanding and self-awareness?
Quite simply, self-awareness is recognizing your inner landscape. On the other hand, self-understanding is about using that self-awareness to figure out something about yourself. Do you see the subtle difference?
What about self-awareness and consciousness … are they the same thing?
No. They aren’t. The difference between humans and most animals is that humans possess both self-awareness and consciousness, while most animals only possess instinctual consciousness....<<<Read More>>>...
