UNDERSTANDING YOURSELF
Understanding one's self in terms of one's own passions, purpose, giftings, strengths, weaknesses, personality, needs, fears, likes, dislikes, thoughts, and feelings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Self-awareness means that you have a solid understanding about who you are and how you relate to the world. This means being mentally and emotionally present in situations, and understanding how your actions affect people. It also means that you're clued into to what you really enjoy and dislike.
Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching.Romans 12:6-7
Skilled Characteristics
Aware
Understands how one’s own personality influences one’s thoughts, feelings and actions
Congruence
Understands and lives out one’s own core values
Limits
Understands one’s own physical, mental, emotional, relational and spiritual abilities and limits
Passion
Has clearly articulated personal dreams, goals and passions
Likes
Is clear about what one’s own likes and dislikes are and why
“When I discover who I am, I’ll be free.”
– Ralph Ellison
Unskilled Characteristics
Unaware
Has little knowledge of one’s own strengths and weaknesses
Affect
Has little awareness of one’s own affect on others
Visionless
Drifts through life without vision, purpose or goals
Under-Achiever
Rarely challenges oneself in any way – physically, mentally, relationally, emotionally, spiritually
Unclear
Can’t articulate what is most important to one’s own life
No Direction
Has little or no life direction
What is your purpose, passion and giftings?
Causes of Weakness
No Mentors
Lack of mentors and encouragement in life
No Opportunities
Lack of opportunities in life, school or work to get to know oneself
Wrong Teaching
Parents or teachers who strongly defined you at a young age and it was wrong or limiting
Negative
Poor self image
Role Models
Poor role models in life of working hard or accomplishing challenging goals or getting to know oneself
How can you adjust your life to be in greater alignment with your passion, purpose and giftings?
Advice
Review the simple application steps below and choose 1 or 2 things you can do to spur yourself on to further growth.
Feedback
FEEDBACK: Frequenty ask people for feedback about yourself, your performance and your affect on others. Thank people for their input so that they will be more likely to give you more feedback in the future. Demonstrate that you are listening intently to the feedback people give you. Restate what they say and ask if you understood correctly. Consider and pray about the feedback people give you.
Read
READ: Read books that expand your knowledge and understanding of the world. What captures your attention? What do you have a passion for? Read the bible and see what God says about you.
Pray
PRAY: Pray to God frequently and ask Him what He says about you. Ask Him to help you understand yourself and how He made you more and more each day.
Assess
ASSESS: Make use of every opportunity you can to take assessments of different kinds that help you understand yourself better. What is your personality? What are your love languages? What are your giftings? What are your strengths?
Try New Things
TRY NEW THINGS: Challenge yourself to keep trying new things. You may never know if you are good at something or enjoy something until you give it a sufficient try. One time may not be enough. Keep trying. Set stretching goals for yourself mentally, physically, relationally, and even spiritually.
Reflect
REFLECT: Periodically take time to reflect on your day, your week, your month, your year, and/or a particular event or season of your life. What went well? What was difficult? How did you feel? How well did you perform? What did you enjoy? What did you dislike? How did others respond to you? What can you learn about yourself from these reflections?