Self Awareness

Accurate self awareness is critical to self improvement.  It allows you to capitalize on your strengths, and minimize your weaknesses.  A good start is to utilize a notebook, journal, or works document, broken down into those two elements. 

This should be for your eyes only, so as to not sugar coat your thoughts.  You need to be brutally honest without yourself about your weaknesses, but be careful not to beat yourself up about any of them.  This is not an exercise in self flagellation – it is meant to be the first step toward positive change.  You can’t change the past, so don’t dwell on it.  Move forward.

Conversely, don't hesitate to list what you feel are your most positive attributes as well.  Do not feel egotistical in doing so.  You are not bragging to others about how blessed you are.  It is a private conversation of one.

Once your lists are completed, put them away for a couple days, then refer back to them, to make sure you haven't missed anything.  Chances are, you will periodically think of something to add.  Feel free to do so at any time.

When your lists are finalized, the next steps are very different for each one.  We’ll start with strengths. 

We all have inmate, God given abilities. Are you making the most of them, or are your daily activities allowing them to go to waste?  Do your strengths match up to what you are doing for a living, or are they going to waste?  Do you have strong verbal communication skills, but sit at a computer all day?

Meanwhile, are your weaknesses holding you back from true success? If so, how can you minimize or eliminate them?  Will additional education help?  Or therapy perhaps? Nothing is off the table here.  You have one life to live on this earth, and life is very short.  Make the most of it while you are here!