Understanding Self-Awareness

• SEL stands for Social and Emotional Learning.
• Self-awareness is the conscious knowledge of one's own character, feelings, motives, and desires.
• Confidence is a feeling of self-assurance arising from one's appreciation of one's own abilities or qualities
• Emotions greatly influence self-awareness, providing insight into one's reactions, triggers, and overall mental state.
• Perspective is a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.
• Things that can define a person include values, beliefs, experiences, and relationships.
• Character is the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual.

Five Elements of Self-Awareness

• Emotional awareness: Recognizing your own emotions and their impact.
• Accurate self-assessment: Realistically evaluating your strengths and weaknesses.
• Self-confidence: Believing in your self-worth and capabilities.
• Self-efficacy: Having confidence in your ability to succeed in specific situations.
• Self-regulation: Managing your emotions and behaviors effectively.
• Self-concept is important because it influences behavior, affects mental health, and guides decision-making.

Five Obstacles of Self-Awareness

• Cognitive biases: Systematic patterns of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment.
• Emotional barriers: Defense mechanisms that prevent honest self-reflection due to fear or discomfort.
• Social pressures: External influences that encourage conformity over authenticity.
• Lack of mindfulness: Insufficient attention to one's internal states and experiences.
• Fixed mindset: Belief that personal qualities are unchangeable, hindering self-improvement efforts.
• Fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the perception of danger, pain, or threat.
• Aversion is a strong dislike or disinclination.
• Resilience is the ability to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.
• Contentment is a state of happiness and satisfaction.

Five Tools of Self-Awareness

• Journaling involves regularly writing down thoughts and feelings to gain clarity and insight.
• Meditation enhances mindfulness and helps observe thoughts and emotions without judgment.
• Seeking feedback from trusted sources provides external perspectives on behavior and character.
• Self-assessment tools, like personality tests, offer structured insights into traits and tendencies.
• Practicing empathy allows you to understand and share the feelings of others, broadening your understanding of human emotions and interactions.
• Positive affirmations are statements that one can repeat to reinforce positive thinking and self-belief.
• Emotions are important as they provide valuable information about our internal states and influence our behaviors and decisions.

Four Types of Affirmations

• Positive self-talk: Statements that promote self-esteem and confidence.
• Gratitude affirmations: Expressions of thankfulness to shift focus to positive aspects of life.
• Goal-oriented affirmations: Statements to reinforce commitment and motivation toward achieving specific goals.
• Coping affirmations: Statements to build resilience and manage stress or difficult situations.
• Positive affirmations are important because they can improve self-esteem, reduce negative thoughts, and promote a more optimistic outlook, enhancing overall well-being.
• Value is a person's principles or standards of behavior; one's judgment of what is important in life.
• Worth is the inherent value of someone or something.
• Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
• A challenge to perspective is confirmation bias, where one seeks out information that confirms existing beliefs and ignores contradictory evidence.
• Empowerment is the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one's life and claiming one's rights.
• Diverse means showing a great deal of variety; very different.