Self Awareness
Self awareness is a continuous process of renewal that you should get in the habit of implementing in your life. This concept is based on the seventh habit of Stephen Covey’s book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”. One of the techniques that you use for reaching your goals should be the constant renewal of your physical, social/emotional, spiritual, and mental areas of your life so that you can achieve the balance that you need to be successful in your personal and professional life.
Taking care of the physical balance in your life is important in maintaining all aspects of balance in your life. When you take care of your physical body you’re better prepared to face the mental and spiritual challenges that come your way. There are many ways that you can take care of the physical part of your life such as a well balanced diet and exercise. According to Covey there are three physical areas that you need to focus on: (1) endurance, (2) flexibility, and (3) strength.
The social and emotional aspect of the balance in your life focuses on the relationships that you have with the other people in your life. The healthier your relationship is with those others the more successful you are in your own life.
As discussed earlier, your value system is one of the strong elements of your success. When you focus on the spiritual balance in your life you’re able to renew your commitment to this system of values that makes you unique from others. You’ll need to make time to balance your spiritual life with the other parts of your life. One of the ways that you can find this balance is by reinforcing the personal mission statement that was discussed in chapter five, since it’s this mission statement that renews your goals and dreams.
Taking care of your mental health is just as important as taking care of your physical health. Covey suggests the following as some ways to implement mental balance in your life: (1) keep a daily diary of your thoughts and feelings, (2) read material that is educational and enlightening, and (3) limit the amount of media that you allow to reach you, such as television. Other ways that you can take care of your mental health are mediation and visualization, as discussed earlier.
The more self aware you are of all the above areas of your life the more successful you’ll be in attaining your health goals. When you find a balance between your personal and your professional life you’ll be able to put your focus where it belongs at the right given moment. It’s this personal awareness that will give you the confidence to excel at what you love doing and reach your goals.