Make Yourself Better for National Self-Awareness Day

National Self-Awareness Day typically occurs on the fourth Saturday of each September. In 2024, National Self-Awareness Day falls on September 28. This day can offer an opportunity to better understand the philosophy of self-awareness and learn how increasing it can improve your life and relationships. You can begin to cultivate self-awareness by journaling, considering your ideal self, engaging in mindfulness practices, and working with a licensed mental health professional.

What is self-awareness or self-discovery?

In general, we all have thoughts and feelings, and we may all complete various tasks and engage in different behaviors in our day-to-day lives. However, it’s likely that not all of us consciously reflect upon our thoughts, desires, and behaviors.

Self-awareness can be seen as the act of observing one’s actions, thoughts, emotions, and behaviors to gain insight into oneself. Having self-awareness can help you understand yourself more deeply, and understanding your emotions and motivations can help you act in accordance with your goals and values. 

Self-reflection and consciousness: The path to positive change

Having self-awareness can help you make positive changes in your life. Without self-awareness, you may struggle to understand why you feel the way you do, why you engage in certain behaviors, or why you can’t seem to reach your goals.

Research by The Eurich Group suggests that looking inward – the foundation of self-awareness – may enable us to clarify aspects of character, like our strengths, weaknesses, desires, and values. We may also understand how we affect others when we are self-aware. 

History of National Self-Awareness Day

The first official Self-Awareness Day was celebrated in 2017 by the United States Senate, but the concept of self-awareness is thought to have been popular for much longer. Philosophers in the 1800s used concepts related to self-awareness to explore human nature and the psyche, and psychologists Shelley Duval and Robert Wicklund further explored the concept of self-awareness in the 1950s. They defined self-awareness in their 1972 book, A Theory of Objective Self-Awareness, as follows:

"Self-awareness is the ability to focus on yourself and how your actions, thoughts, or emotions do or don't align with your internal standards. If you're highly self-aware, you can objectively evaluate yourself, manage your emotions, align your behavior with your values, and understand correctly how others perceive you."

Benefits of self-awareness

Being self-aware can help you navigate your life in a way that aligns with your goals and values. It can also help you manage conflict and handle difficult emotions. Additional benefits of self-awareness may include those listed below:

• Decreased stress

• Improved relationships

• Improved critical thinking

• Increased clarity about life goals and direction

• Improved emotional control

• Increased confidence

• Improved decision-making

• Improved ability to understand various perspectives

• Increased happiness

Mindfulness, meditation, and introspection to increase self-awareness

Self-awareness may not always be easy to cultivate. Some people tend to naturally be more introspective and self-aware, while others may have to actively work on building their self-awareness.  

Additionally, there can be different types of self-awareness, including public self-awareness (awareness of how we appear to others) and personal self-awareness (awareness of our internal state). 

While most people have some level of self-awareness, research suggests that only 10% to 15% of the population could be considered truly self-aware. However, there may be ways to increase self-awareness, such as those discussed below.

Seek honest feedback

Getting feedback from others can seem scary, but when you seek honest feedback from an unbiased source, you may better understand your strengths, weaknesses, and potential blind spots. Rather than asking your best friends or loved ones, you may wish to consider asking your boss or coworker, as they could be less biased sources. 

It may be helpful to write a list of what you perceive to be your strengths and weaknesses, and then have the person giving you feedback write their own list of what they see as your strengths and weaknesses. From there, you may be able to identify any areas on which you may wish to focus.

Cultivate introspection (without overthinking)

Learning to self-reflect on your feelings and behaviors may be difficult if it doesn’t come naturally to you. Journaling can be one way to implement more introspection into your life. You may start by simply writing about how your day went, how you felt about the events that happened, and how you hope tomorrow goes. Eventually, you may wish to write about your hopes, goals, motivations, and strengths. 

However, it can be important not to get lost in a spiral of negative thoughts or feelings, as this generally does not increase self-awareness. By becoming aware of and challenging your thought patterns, negative beliefs, and unhealthy behaviors, you may be empowered to make the changes you need to reach your goals.

Practice mindfulness meditation and mindfulness activities

Practicing mindfulness can help you get in touch with your thoughts and feelings. Many of us find ourselves functioning “on autopilot,” especially during stressful or busy times. Taking time out to engage in mindfulness meditation or mindful activities, like painting, organizing, deep breathing, or going for a peaceful walk, can help you become more aware of what’s happening in your mind, body, and inner world. 

Visualize your ideal self for self-reflection and self-discovery

Visualization can be a powerful tool. To increase self-awareness through visualization, you may wish to mentally picture your ideal self: What do you look like? How do you act? What sorts of hobbies do you have? What job do you have? Getting clear on the person you’d like to be can serve as a step toward making that your reality. 

Mental health support

If you are interested in cultivating greater self-awareness this National Self-Awareness Day, you may be able to do so with the suggested lifestyle changes above. However, some people may also opt to work with a therapist to improve their self-awareness. 

Research shows that therapy can increase self-awareness in many ways. It can help you become more aware of your feelings and thoughts, for example. Specific therapy modalities, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), can help you “catch” negative thought patterns and adjust them to be healthier.

Working with a therapist can also be beneficial for people who are already self-aware. Some people with high self-awareness may believe that because they already know about their inner thoughts and feelings, they may not benefit from working with a therapist. However, even people with high self-awareness may have unprocessed trauma, dysfunctional behaviors, or other mental health symptoms that can be improved with therapy.

Different types of therapy can be beneficial for different people and their specific needs. People who seek social support and validation from others who have gone through similar challenges may like group therapy. Those who seek intensive, focused therapy may benefit most from one-on-one therapy. 

Benefits of online therapy

Online therapy can be a convenient option for those with busy schedules who prefer to work with a therapist from the comfort of their homes. Online therapy generally allows for flexible scheduling and eliminates long commutes and time spent in waiting rooms.

Research suggests that online therapy can be equally effective as in-person therapy for treating many mental health conditions.