Emotional Self Awareness: Become the Best Version of Yourself

Can you imagine yourself getting dressed and prepped up for an important event without even looking at yourself in a mirror? I believe, most of us can’t. This is because we recognise the importance of assessing ourselves in the mirror to look physically presentable to others. Although most of us are aware of how we look physically, most of us are unaware of how we react emotionally. That is why it is important for us not to just check ourselves out physically, but also we need to be able to be aware of how we are emotionally.

Emotional Self-Awareness serves as our personal emotional mirror –  it gives us a clear assessment of our own feelings, emotions, personalities, strengths, weaknesses, thoughts, beliefs and motivations. Self awareness also allows us to understand other people, their emotions, and their perceptions.

According to the MIT Sloan Management Review, emotional self-awareness is the most important competency a person should develop. Self-awareness enables us to know where our natural inclinations lie and to use this knowledge to boost those inclinations or compensate for them. A study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania showed the link between self-awareness to a number of positive changes in the workplace, including:

• 100 percent reported a significant improvement in workplace effectiveness.
• 79 percent mentioned more effective workplace relationships.
• 86 percent described an improved ability to identify and manage their emotions.
• 81 percent linked improved emotional self-awareness to a reduction in stress.

The results of this study also align with other researches indicating that improvements to leadership effectiveness may be achieved more quickly. In addition people who scored high in this competency exhibit the following:

> Know which emotions they are feeling and why

> Realise, in the moment, the links between their feelings and what they think, do and say

> Recognise how their feelings effect their performance

> Are able to articulate their feelings and appropriately express them

> Can tell, in the moment, when they are getting upset

So how do you develop self-awareness? You can develop this competency by doing the following action points:

> Regularly check in on your feelings. During the course of the day, schedule brief but frequent check-ins on what your body might be feeling, and check in on your emotional state as well

> If you find yourself clenching your teeth, tensing your shoulders, feeling worn out or worn down, stop and ask yourself what your body is trying to tell you – are you feeling strained? Stressed? Anxious? Fearful? Overwhelmed? Discouraged? Burned out?

> Name your emotions and connect them specifically to a source or to a situation, concern, or issue

> “Listen” to what your emotions might be telling you in that moment

> Use the information that bubbles up from inside, listen to your intuition to gain insight that could guide you in dealing with the issue or challenge

> Take the time to be introspective, to listen to that quiet inner voice. Put aside some of your goal-oriented activities and think. Take long walks, know you core values, and especially stop thinking of your emotions as irrelevant or messy. Our emotions are an essential source of valuable information

Having a clear assessment of our emotions can help us become a better version of ourself. At People Builders we have a team of expert coaches that can help you and your team develop emotional self awareness. Contact us today for a quick chat to see how we can partner with you to coach you and your team.