What is Internal Self-Awareness Exactly?

Internal self-awareness helps you understand yourself and is the cornerstone of your personal growth and fulfillment in life.

Imagine living in alignment with your core truths, values, strengths, and aspirations. Rather than following the masses or wearing a mask, you act in complete alignment with your true self.

You wake up excited to start your day. 

You feel empowered in your creative pursuits, enjoy fulfilling relationships, and experience joy in every single moment.

That’s the life internal self-awareness can unlock for you.

In today’s article, you’ll discover what internal self-awareness is and how it leads to more authenticity, well-being, and happiness.

Let’s dive in!

The definition of internal self-awareness

Internal self-awareness is the understanding of yourself and your inner state. 

It involves your thoughts, feelings, emotions, passion and interests, personal values, personality traits, strengths and weaknesses, internal motivations, and even your life’s purpose.

In short, how well do you know yourself?

When you’re internally aware, you also understand your emotional and behavioral triggers. And you can recognize how your state affects your decisions, shapes outcomes, and influences social interactions.

This kind of self-awareness was key to my personal transformation.

It changed me from feeling lost and misunderstood to feeling empowered to take control and make a positive change. I attribute a lot of my happiness and satisfaction to this journey of self-discovery.

But how’s internal different from external self-awareness?

Internal vs external self-awareness

In the best book about self-awareness, called Insights, Tasha Eurich delves into the difference between internal and external self-awareness:

• Internal self-awareness centers around the understanding of yourself and your inner world. It’s all about how well you know yourself.
• External self-awareness is about understanding how others perceive you. It includes being aware of how your words and behavior impact those around you.

The surprising part?

Eurich’s research suggests there’s no connection between those two types of self-awareness. In other words, a high level of internal awareness doesn’t mean that you’ve got any external self-awareness.

And vice versa.

So ensure you also engage in external self-understanding practices to reap all the benefits of self-awareness.

For now, let’s continue with…

Examples of internal self-awareness

Let’s further clarify what internal self-awareness means through relatable examples. Each one will illustrate the power of internal self-awareness.

While you’re reading these internal self-awareness examples, picture how they can lead to better relationships, and a more fulfilling life and career.

Example #1: Internal self-awareness in your career

Situation: As a software engineer, you’re offered a high-paying managerial position. However, you realize that what you truly enjoy is coding, not managing people.

Internal self-awareness: You’re aware of your strengths, interests, and values. And you recognize that your passion lies in problem-solving and innovation rather than leadership or managerial roles.

Outcome: Instead of being persuaded by the salary of the managerial role, you decide to decline the offer. Instead, you pursue advanced technical roles that better align with your professional aspirations and personal satisfaction.

Example #2: Dealing with criticism

Situation: You receive critical feedback at work suggesting that you need to improve your presentation skills.

Internal self-awareness: You reflect on this feedback and realize that you do get nervous when speaking in public. You acknowledge and understand that you’ll need to work on this area.

Outcome: Instead of reacting defensively to the criticism, you use this insight to enroll in a public speaking course. You practice this skill often and gradually build your confidence.

Example #3: Internal awareness in relationships

Situation: During a heated argument with your partner, you notice that you’re increasingly becoming more angry and are about to say hurtful things.

Internal self-awareness: You’re emotionally self-aware and recognize the signs of rising frustration. You know that you’ll arrive at a point where you’ll say things you don’t mean, potentially harming the relationship.

Outcome: Before reacting impulsively, you take a step back. You tell your partner that you need a short break to calm down. As a result, you prevent escalation and allow for a calmer, more constructive conversation later.

Did you notice how each example of internal self-awareness contributes to a greater quality of life?

If not, let’s answer:

Why is internal self-awareness important?

Internal self-awareness plays a crucial role in personal development, relationships, well-being, and happiness. 

Here’s why internal self-awareness is important:

• Decision-making: Knowing yourself enables you to decide and act in alignment with your values, motivations, and desires.
• Emotional intelligence: Understanding your emotions helps you to manage your internal states more effectively, reducing stress.
• Self-regulation: Being aware of your triggers helps you to control your impulses and improves your resilience in challenging situations.
• Personal growth: Recognizing your strengths and vital weaknesses helps you to create a better self-improvement plan.
• Relationships: Self-aware individuals are more in tune with others, fostering empathy and effective communication.
• Career success: Aligning your career choices with personal skills and interests increases job satisfaction.

In summary, internal self-awareness is a cornerstone for living a balanced and fulfilling life. It’s not just about understanding yourself; it’s also about using those insights to shape your future and make an impact.

How to improve internal self-awareness?

Let’s start by stating something important: 

Your pursuit of self-awareness is a consistent journey, not a one-time thing.

After years of practicing self-awareness, I still learn a lot about myself. It’s a never-ending cycle – and that’s part of the fun!

Here are habitual practices for internal self-awareness:

• Self-discovery: Engage in activities that challenge you or put you in new situations to learn more about yourself.
• Goal-setting: Set personal goals and reflect on your motivations and the satisfaction you get from pursuing them.
• Self-reflection: Set aside time regularly to think about who you are, what you desire, and if it aligns with your decisions and actions.
• Mindfulness meditation: Regular meditation helps you become more aware of your thoughts and feelings in the present moment.
• Emotional self-awareness: Writing about your daily experiences provides insights into your emotions and reactions. You can do this in only a few minutes with my favorite self-help journal.
• Mindful listening: Listen to others attentively and seek to understand the other person before speaking your mind. This practice sounds simple but is quite challenging. However, not only will it help you understand your own biases, but it will also deepen your relationships.
• Ask for feedback: Request constructive feedback to get an external perspective of your strengths and weaknesses. 

Building a few of those habits will lead to deeper self-understanding, fulfilling relationships, and boost your happiness.

Valuable tools for introspection

There are several effective tools for self-discovery. 

Throughout the years, including recently, I’ve used those tools to deepen my self-understanding and increase my self-awareness.

Here are the best tools to use:

• Best personality tests: Tools like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) or the Big 5 Personality Traits assessment can offer insights into your personality and how it influences your behavior and interactions.
• Best strength assessments: Strength tests like HIGH 5 reveal what you naturally do best and provide insights into how you can utilize them. They empower you to capitalize on your strengths at work, in your relationships, and for personal development.
• Meditation apps: Apps like Headspace offer guided meditations that can improve your awareness of your mental and emotional state.
• Professional coaching: Coaches and therapists can provide personalized guidance and strategies for self-awareness.

Using these tools will lead to deeper insights into your own thoughts, emotions, motivations, and behavioral patterns. 

They’re very helpful in creating a life you love.

At least, they were for me.

What’s next?

You learned the ins- and outs of internal self-awareness and how it forms a fundamental aspect of personal growth and fulfillment. It’s the one area that contributed the most to my life transformation.

Key takeaways:

• Internal self-awareness is the key to living a life that’s truly aligned with your deepest aspirations, core values, and natural superpowers.
• Self-knowledge increases emotional intelligence, helping you understand your triggers and manage your emotional responses.
• Improving internal awareness leads to more empathy, improving your communication, and strengthening your relationships.

Further resources:

• Best books to gain knowledge about self-awareness
• Best free personality tests to take at least once in your life
• Truity review: the best personality and career test provider
• Best self-reflection journals

Challenge: For one week, spend 10 minutes per day reflecting on your daily emotions and decisions – and write down your insights.

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