Honest Awareness

Jill Fandrich, PharmD, CRPh

How aware are you of your surroundings? How aware are you of yourself? What is actually going on? How often do you find yourself in a situation without being fully informed about what is occurring? How do you collect information and gain understanding? What kinds of questions do you ask? Where do you search for accurate and uncomplicated information? Are you seeing things and considering them from both sides of a situation? Are you doing what you enjoy doing? Are you living where you most desire to be living? Do you spend time with the people you enjoy the most? Are you aware of the answers to all of these questions?

Is there a need to "declutter" the thoughts that occupy your mind? Your programmed thoughts are the basis for your responses, especially your automatic responses. What do your automatic responses to stressful situations look like? Do you respond quickly and with finesse? Or perhaps you become frustrated easily with a drawn-out and indecisive outlook? How would you rate your typical response on a scale of one to ten, with one being completely conflicted, unsure, and frustrated, and ten being calm, certain, and resolved? How quickly do you tend to respond to a sensitive situation?

The first step to reprogramming your mind is to know what you are reprogramming. Like any situation, knowing the problem is imperative before attempting a solution. Take time to observe your thoughts and where the baseline rests. Are they mostly positive thoughts? Or mostly negative thoughts? Or are they an evenly balanced combination of both? Do your thoughts linger on topics that you should let go of? Or perhaps just the opposite. Do your thoughts drift rapidly before they are properly resolved?

What topic do you tend to dwell on the most? Is it work-related, personal, or a combination of both? Or do you spend much of your day "in the clouds," so to speak? Remove any blind spots and become honestly aware of your thoughts. How would the most critical person there describe your attributes in your workplace? How would your closest friend describe them? Are you quick to anger? Do you display knee-jerk reactions? Expose them all. Write down your "thoughts about your thoughts" and come to the realization of their current status.

Honest and complete self-awareness is crucial in this process. And this is a PROCESS. Reprogramming your mind is not a quick endeavor. Imagine the years it took to program your mind to its current condition! The next step is to determine the type of programming you want your mind to encompass. What would you like your immediate responses to reflect? Would you like your thoughts to be instinctively empowering? Would you like to be slow to anger and have thought-filled responses? You may have some work to do. And you have a wonderful start by already identifying your thoughts' current status and determining where you want them to be.

Honest awareness will allow you to identify where you are right now, revealing the opportunity to determine where you want to be and how you want your thoughts to align. Explore your options and decide if any changes need to be made.  Identify your values and determine whether your base thoughts align with them. Are there any changes that need to be made?

Honest awareness is crucial as it allows you to objectively see yourself, your strengths, weaknesses, and behavior patterns. You can acknowledge your limitations and work toward self-improvement by being honest with yourself. It facilitates personal growth, fosters transparency in relationships, and helps in making informed decisions. Being aware of your own thoughts, emotions, and actions without bias or denial enables you to have a clearer understanding of your values, goals, and motivations. This self-awareness can lead to increased self-confidence, better mental health, and improved interactions with others. Honest awareness promotes accountability and responsibility for behavior, creating a foundation for building trust and strong relationships with others. It allows you to communicate more effectively, resolve conflicts, and navigate challenges with integrity and authenticity. In summary, honest awareness is essential for personal development, emotional intelligence, and fostering genuine connections with others. It serves as a tool for self-reflection, growth, and leading a more fulfilling and purposeful life.

Benefits of reprogramming your thoughts to align with your values:

~ It helps you live a more authentic and meaningful life by ensuring that your actions align with what truly matters to you. This can lead to increased feelings of fulfillment and happiness.

~ Aligning your thoughts with your values can improve your decision-making process. You are more likely to make choices that align with your core beliefs and goals, which can lead to a greater sense of clarity and direction in life.

~ Reprogramming your thoughts can help reduce stress and anxiety. You are less likely to engage in behaviors that conflict with your values, leading to a sense of inner peace.

~ Aligning your thoughts with your values can improve your relationships with others. When your thoughts align with your values, you are more likely to communicate honestly and authentically.

Find out more about this and other leadership skills in Success Is Ele-MENTAL

In order to grow and evolve, we must first have the courage to be honest with ourselves and acknowledge our true strengths and weaknesses. Only through this honest awareness can we truly chart a path toward self-improvement and inner peace.

—Dr. Jill

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