Gaining More Self Awareness
What are emotions? It’s hard to place them into words or language because they are feelings. They are our animal instincts that have kept us safe for millions of years by pointing us towards safety and away from danger.
But we don’t see ourselves as animals these days, we are human, we are not animals! Not true! We are animals and most of our unconscious guidance system acts very much like an animal, yet the world we live in is very different from our ancestors. The prey that track us these days are marketing men and bosses that demand more.
The thoughts that run through our mind (good or bad, scary or happy) do in fact set the scene for how we feel through our emotions. Give it a try, when you run scary thoughts in your mind you get bad feelings in your body and when you hold nice stories in your mind, you get good feelings.
So, to me, emotional well being is being able to recognise that emotions are nothing to be scared of and are the result of lots of worry or negative ruminations in your mind, when you can see this for yourself and play around with it for a while you will realise that it is possible to choose your emotions in any situation, you could choose gratitude or anger or calmness or forgiveness. This is a big step initially because we think our emotions are true, that they really reflect what we feel and how the world around us is making us feel
This is one of the key lessons to learn, that we can choose our emotions and reactions, if we wish, although it takes time and lots of practice
As you take responsibility for your feelings and emotions it becomes time to let your guard down and allow yourself to become more vulnerable and most honest about yourself, because if emotions are no longer troublesome then guilt, shame, remorse etc. can all be let go of.
Not listening to the racing mind
One way to look at a racing mind is lots of characters all talking to each other. A judge that is judging everybody including yourself and a victim that feels everyone is against them, lots more characters too all discussing your life, what you should and shouldn’t do or say.
Just because a voice in your mind says you can’t do something it doesn’t make it true. These voices in your mind are not one voice, they are a whole cast of characters that natter way talking to each other whilst they judge other people and judge you for what you say and what you do. You really don’t need to listen as they are the ramblings of your ego, not you.
Begin to doubt what they say, realise the fearful way in which they hold you back if you belive them, choose to just laugh at them.
When old beliefs no longer serve you well
The path to emotional calmness and wellbeing is about letting go of the ego and dissolving old out of date beliefs, then not listening to the voices in your mind.
We are so much more than we were 10 years ago, 20 years ago or even one year ago, yet our mind references back to our past looking for confirmation that backs up our doubts ‘I must be useless because that teacher said so….’ or ‘I failed that exam again therefore I will never be able to pass exams..’
Just because the past was a certain way it doesn’t mean the future will be that way too (unless you fail to grow). Look for the flaws in your arguements, listen for comments that hold you back, find those old beliefs and challlenge them, this is the road to change.
Sometimes we are too close to our feelings and emotions to be able to see this and break it down to reveal the myths beneath, that’s when a mentor or a therapist can help you to gently explore yourself in a more productive manner, so you can master your emotions and have calmness and choice at the very foundation of all your interactions with life, then confidence and self respect just naturally follow.
Learn more about Self Awareness . Visit John Glanvill’s site where you can explore more information about personal development and download Free Personal Growth Tools for your emotional calmness.
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