Authentic Connecting - Self-Awareness Writing Exercise

Self-awareness happens in layers. As we come into our own, we have an opportunity to reflect on who we are, what we like and don’t like about ourselves and our relationships, and ways to improve or simply accept ourselves.

Take a few minutes to complete the following writing exercise.  If you don’t like to write, make an outline of bullet points.

How are you different now than five years ago?
In what ways have you grown or changed? How did that happen?

Example:

• Less social - come to realize that I am in introvert and being alone is not a negative thing.
  

What do you like most about yourself? Character? Personality?
Other traits (not physical)?

Example:

• Care for others
  

What do you like least? What are you embarrassed by?
Ashamed of? Hiding from others?

Example:

• Mental health issues - shame
  

What do others say about you that you like to hear?
Do you think it is accurate?

Example:

• Fun, exciting, brave, cool, pioneering…somewhat accurate when not depressed and/or anxious
  

What do people say about you that you don’t like to hear?
Do you think it is accurate?

Example:

• Lazy, self-centered, unrealistic, hard to get along with...sometimes but not always or in all cases
  

What do you want to change about yourself?

Example:

• I would love to be more free-spirited and interact more socially
  

What do you want to learn to accept?

Example:

• My quirks and mental health issues are just part of my messiness and what others think is not my business. I AM lazy, self-centered, unrealistic and hard to get along with AND fun, exciting, brave, cool, pioneering...all of the above