Self-awareness might feel unrelated to conversations about building a business, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. When we come to understand who we are and what causes us to believe and behave a certain way, we come into our power and can begin to decide who we want to be, in business and in life. 

This blog post covers the what and why of self-awareness, how to increase it, and the power it has to help you unearth your potential and go after your dreams. 

What is self-awareness?

Self-awareness is understanding what makes us who we are. From our actions to our personalities, self-awareness is the ability to focus on ourselves and sort through why we behave the way that we do. 

It’s not something that we’re born with but rather something that we develop. And that means it’s something we can always work on improving.

(If you’d like to learn more, read this article.)

Why is self-awareness important? 

Because life is filtered through our perspective, self-awareness is vital to everything we do and create. Deepening our understanding of ourselves and why our perspective is the way it is, can help us move through upsets and challenges better. 

Being self-aware is also important because it allows us to consider our values, strengths, ambitions, purpose, and our own emotions, further developing our skill of emotional intelligence. 

When we understand why we act the ways we do, we can work on overcoming triggers, become clear on what we want, and evolve into the person we want to become, in life and in business.

So… what does self-awareness have to do with personal branding and business? 

The truth is that building a business is an incredibly personal journey that requires you to look deep within yourself, understand what you want, and figure out what is standing in your way. In other words, self-awareness has everything to do with personal branding and business because when you’re building a business, you must understand yourself. 

With personal branding specifically, self-awareness is essential because building a personal brand requires authenticity. And to be authentic, you must turn inward, see yourself for who you are, and share that core self with others. 

Within business, learning how to be self-aware is a vital skill because it allows you to better understand triggers, overcome roadblocks, and battle imposter syndrome—all of which, as a business owner (and a human), you’re sure to face.

4 things to focus on to increase your self-awareness 

• Triggers

Are there certain actions others do that make you feel upset or uncomfortable? 

Go deeper than “right” and “wrong,” and think about things that result in a big, and sometimes unwarranted, reaction. Maybe someone talking on the telephone too loudly in a public place makes you incredibly angry. Or, people posting on social media, pointing out all the things everyone else is doing wrong, makes you feel icky. 

The subtle (and not-so-subtle) things that trigger us also clue us into the feelings we need to address within ourselves. So ask yourself what these feelings are trying to tell you. Are they a projection? Do they stem from something you felt in your childhood? 

Follow your upset—you may be surprised where it leads you within yourself.

• Vulnerability 

In what ways can you be more vulnerable? 

When we allow ourselves to be exposed, we open ourselves to self-reflection, introspection, and honesty—all of which increase our self-awareness. Whether it’s speaking your truth, asking for client feedback, or promoting your business in the first place, inviting in vulnerable situations will give you a deeper understanding of yourself. 

Within business specifically, one of the most important (and vulnerable) skills is learning how to ask for help. As one person, it’s impossible to figure everything out on your own. Learning to be vulnerable and ask for support from others will allow you to see what you may have not before about your business and yourself, helping you and your business grow exponentially. 

• Emotional Patterns

What emotional patterns do you find yourself often stuck in and repeating? 

Emotional patterns are made up of thoughts and behaviors that play themselves out in a predictable way. Maybe you’ve noticed that you’re someone who complains frequently, leading to negative emotions, and an overall feeling of unhappiness. Or, maybe you’re someone who has the tendency to shut down and run away when you get upset. 

When we come to recognize the emotional patterns we continuously repeat, we can change them. And we change them by recognizing the pattern in the first place and then repeatedly reframing. When you notice yourself starting down the rabbit hole of complaining. Stop. Force yourself to say something positive instead. 

By repeatedly addressing and correcting ourselves in small moments, we can undo our negative emotional patterns altogether. 

• Coping Habits 

How do you cope and care for yourself when you get upset and overwhelmed with emotions?

The things we do in the moments that upset arises are moments we can look back at and reflect on to become more self-aware. Maybe you’re someone who uses drinking to numb your feelings. Or, maybe when you get upset you watch a lot of TV, or spend hours scrolling through social media. 

Instead of numbing those feelings, which are trying to tell you something about yourself, what routines can you use instead to sit with and move through the upset and overwhelm? If you’re someone, like myself, who has used drinking to suppress your feelings, can you try replacing that with journaling and meditation? What self-care routine can you set up to intentionally support yourself when you need it?

By becoming aware of the bad coping habits we often automatically resort to, we can replace them with self-care routines that allow us to actually process our feelings. And that will absolutely increase self-awareness. 

Focusing on these areas creates increased self-awareness and that…

Helps you get in touch with your own feelings, combat imposter syndrome, and build life and business from a place of intention rather than reactivity.

It’s one of the most powerful tools we have. 

Within my coaching program, my clients and I deep dive into self-awareness. In fact, self-discovery is so fundamental to building a business and personal brand, that it’s the first part of my entire coaching process! 

If you’re looking for someone to help guide you through the journey of becoming self-aware so you can build your brand and business with intention and clarity, you’ve come to the perfect spot. To learn more about the details of my 1:1 coaching program, explore this page.