Building Your Foundation: Part Three

Y.O.U focuses on providing on-the-go strategies for a successful life!

Last time we took the time to dig deeper into why self-awareness is difficult and revisited questions from the first issue to start practicing self-awareness. In today’s issue, we’re going to spend the entire time discussing more exercises for practicing self-awareness. We'll also share some other resources and aromatherapy solutions to enhance your journey toward self-awareness.

Practicing Self-Awareness

When you begin to practice self-awareness, you open the opportunity for growth, transformation, healing, and new beginnings and discover untapped dimensions of your mind, body, and soul. And as you continue the journey, you'll find that self-awareness goes together with self-care. Self-care keeps you grounded and heightens your functionality, strength, and mental health.

In the following section, we will share a few prompts and suggest that you reflect on situations, experiences, and memories related to the questions. After you take the time to think, you will need a place to jot down your thoughts for future reference. We recommend a journal, a notebook, or anything you can use to write things down as they come to your mind that you can quickly look back on.

If you prefer an electronic device and are an IOS user, you can use the How we feel application software. The app is free, and you can use it to track your emotions, learn emotional regulation strategies, and identify patterns in real-time. You can also get step-by-step videos to address negative thinking and understand your feelings and social strategies.

Each reflective prompt should take about 10 minutes. If you need clarification on what reflecting means, reflecting can look like pausing with your eyes open or closed. Look at an object like a picture outside your office or home window. Also, don't feel pressured to have the correct answer or for your thoughts to make sense; you do not have to have perfect penmanship, spelling, or jargon. Your thoughts can be bullet points.

It's also important not to have distractions. So, put your phone on silent or do-not-disturb. You should ensure it's not during the day when you're at work or need to make dinner. Think of this time as your own personal spa or romantic getaway. For example, create an ambiance with low lights, relaxing music, burning candles, or maybe your favorite aromatherapy smell. Lavender and frankincense are great for relaxation if you don't have a favorite scent.

Below are your reflective prompts to begin your self-discovery journey and build your foundation for a successful life.

Prompt 1

Who are you? (note: Do not mention anything that relates to your job).

Prompt 2

Can you think of a time or moment when you experienced hurt, shock, or confusion caused by a physical injury, interaction with a person or loved one, or event? What do you think could have gone differently?

Prompt 3

Are you open and honest with people, or do you keep to yourself and avoid showing emotions?

Prompt 4

Are you talkative or quiet and reserved?

Prompt 5

Do you like to ask for help or try to figure it out yourself?

Prompt 6

When did you notice you stopped trying?

Prompt 7

Do you see yourself as successful?

Prompt 8

What is your purpose?

Prompt 9

What motivates you? And Why?

Prompt 10

Who inspires you?

Prompt 11

Are you honest in all situations of your life?

Prompt 12

Are you a giving person?

Prompt 13

Are you patient, or are you easily annoyed?

Prompt 14

Are there things, situations, or people you avoid?

Prompt 15

Was there something in your life that changed you?

Prompt 16

Is it easy for you to forgive?

Prompt 17

What were the highs and lows of last week? What happened that made them highs/lows? What would you have liked to have gone differently?

Prompt 18

What would your life be like 5 years ago? What do you want your life to be like 5 years from now?

Now that you have completed all 18 prompts, we would like to congratulate you on taking the time to invest in your well-being and learning more about yourself.

To create more self-discovery opportunities, please continue reflecting on your answers throughout the week and consider incorporating self-care opportunities, like exercising, meditation, journaling, yoga, stretching, etc.

Self-care is about being intentional and taking one step at a time.

If you would like more practice in reflecting and building self-awareness, feel free to also answer the following questions at your own pace:

1. How do you define self-care?

2. Describe the people, places, and/or situations that impact your ability to incorporate self-care.

3. What motivates you personally?

4. What motivates you professionally?

5. Does answer #4 impact your answer to #3? If so, explain why.

6. What do you plan to do differently now that you have increased your awareness about self-care?

You should give yourself the Grace to understand that we only have 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to get things done. So, create a new day of opportunities if you need to make it. If you need a day of rest, take it. Allow yourself the care you both need and deserve amid everything else.

Book Recommendations

 Aromatherapy Suggestions

A list of essential oil and herbal supplement tips to improve sleep, reduce stress, and reduce anxiety and depression symptoms.

This was the final issue in the special series on self-awareness. Look out for the next few issues where we will discuss resilience, boundaries, self-care, and imposter phenomenon.