Developing self-awareness provides the first crucial step in identifying your strengths and it comes with benefits.
When we see ourselves clearly,
We feel more confident and more creative.
But keep in mind,
We don't live in a vacuum.
Our strengths work in harmony with all the people in our lives,
Whether at home,
At work,
Or in our communities.
So we want to understand how our strengths work for us.
Yes,
But also how our strengths play out in relation to those around us.
You can do that by developing self-awareness,
Both internally and externally.
Internal self-awareness means seeing ourselves and becoming aware of our thoughts,
Feelings,
Passions,
And reactions.
Developing internal self-awareness will not only help you in identifying strengths,
It also leads to better relationships,
Higher job satisfaction,
And lower feelings of anxiety and depression.
External self-awareness,
That refers to how other people view us and our strengths,
Behaviors,
And reactions.
People with a strong sense of external self-awareness tend to have more empathy and take other people's perspectives into consideration.
Trying both the internal awareness with the external will help you get clearer on how to figure out who you are.
You will begin to notice what you do differently than others.
You will become aware of the motivations and desires behind your actions.
And most importantly,
For identifying strengths,
You can take note of which situations and activities leave you feeling empowered versus discouraged.
So let's explore deeper now.
Let's begin.
Take a moment to find a comfortable position.
You don't need to be in a particular posture.
You can be standing,
Sitting,
Lying down.
The most important thing is that you feel relaxed and alert.
Make sure that you have some openness in the front of your body.
Can roll your shoulders up and back.
Or if you're lying down,
Just allow your shoulders to really relax into the floor.
You want to have some uprightness or length in your spine without being rigid or stiff.
And invite a softness into the face,
The jaw,
The shoulders,
And the belly.
This balanced posture of being both relaxed and alert,
Being both soft and open,
Is the beginning of our awareness.
We can begin by asking ourselves a few questions,
Just pondering,
Just reflecting.
You're welcome to write in your journal if you have one.
Or just pause the meditation.
Or reflect quietly at the end.
Just asking ourselves,
How true is it of me that I have clearly defined values that outline what is most important to me?
Do I know what I really find the most personally rewarding?
How well do I know what activities give me the most joy?
How clear to me really are my goals for my career and my personal life?
Just notice what's present and allow what's happening.
Maybe there are many kinds of thoughts or emotions coming up.
Just let everything be here.
Just relaxing in yourself.
Now I'm going to invite you to take a deep breath in through the nose.
And as you exhale,
You can even make a sighing sound.
Release any tension in the body as you breathe in and out.
Do this a few times on your own.
As you breathe in,
Opening the front part of the body.
And as you breathe out,
Really softening and relaxing here.
Allow the breath to come to its natural rhythm.
Just take a moment in silence to notice your bodily sensations.
You don't have to think about the body,
But really feel any sensations or vibrations.
Allow what's coming to you.
Just come to you.
Just allowing the body to be still,
To be grounded.
Just take a moment in silence to rest in this awareness.
As we end this meditation,
Take a moment to express gratitude towards yourself for taking time to cultivate this practice.
And know that in any moment you can reconnect with your body.
Your breath,
A sense of grandness as a way to create ease always,
Always available to you.
And when you're ready,
You can open your eyes,
Begin to move your hands,
And feel yourself reconnecting as we finish.
