Awareness is the key. Becoming more self-aware while seeing more of what is around you in a situation or in your day, is vitally important to beginning the journey towards impactful personal change. Where the changes you make lead to greater improvements in your life.
Personal change is much harder than you think. I use the word impactful because improved self-awareness and an increased awareness of every person and thing around you leads to a slower response but deeper thought within you. This then leads to more thoughtful & structured choices that are different and deeper than you made in the past.
In the end, by developing the skill or muscle of awareness, the different choices you make will lead to more fundamental changes that will have a greater impact on your life. Leading to better outcomes.
How does awareness slow you down?
With awareness, there is less rushing, because you are constantly comparing and contrasting your world view against what you now see better. Both within yourself as well as around you.
There is an inherent conflict when you are more aware that keeps you from jumping without thinking. It provides much needed perspective for small course corrections, during an interaction or situation, that help make for more positive outcomes.
Becoming more aware requires the ability to learn, while living your life, by seeing things in bits and pieces contained within so much information that bombards you when awake. This is never taught to us at any age. The bits and pieces involve what you see (or feel) at a point in time and then comparing that against who you think you are or what you perceived a person or situation to be.
Awareness also requires being understanding that the imperfections we see in others (and that frustrate us) are ones each of us carry. Imperfections are simply affirmations of our humanity. They are there to bring a texture to each of our lives that is unique.
Nothing ever happens by itself. There is always more to accomplishing anything of value than we first knew. It will take you time to build the muscles involved to become more aware. It’s hard but possible. But when done, over time, your improved awareness will lead to more impactful change and a better life filled with the achievement of more of your dreams and goals.