Self-Awareness, Self-Reflection, and Self-Care
Self-awareness, self-reflection, and self-care play vital roles in today’s society. I define self-awareness as the knowledge of one’s own strengths and weaknesses. Individuals that are aware of their strengths can consciously leverage those abilities to best serve their needs as well as the needs of others, while ignorance or indifference toward their talents devalues those precious assets. Similarly, individuals that are mindful of their limitations can work to overcome them, whereas unaware individuals never see the need for self-improvement. In an effort to be the best versions of ourselves that we can be, I think it is important to maintain a mental inventory of our personal attributes—those that serve us well as well as those that we could improve upon.
Self-reflection is the necessary precondition for self-awareness, for it is only through deliberate introspection that we can truly understand ourselves. It can be fostered by recognizing, and utilizing available resources, including reaching out for help if necessary. Stress and anxiety, felt by most individuals, is not conducive to contemplation. Finding a healthy work-life balance is important so as to make time for leisure. Rest allows the mind to regain its strength and to engage in meaningful reflection; it serves as both a counterweight to and prerequisite for hard work and introspective thinking.
These considerations relate to the final skill mentioned above: self-care. Self-care means attending to each part of oneself as a person—physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, etc. Our ability to be empathic and to assist others will be impaired if we are unable—or unwilling—to care for ourselves personally. How someone chooses to practice self-care is unique unto them and largely determinant on what their needs are. I practice self-care by staying active, getting good sleep, eating well, and enjoying the company of friends and family. The list is hardly exhaustive, but the general principle remains that one must care for themself in order to best help others.
