Self-Awareness Saturday | Developing Awareness (Part 4) | Seek Out Honest Feedback

Self-Awareness Saturday | Developing Awareness (Part 4) | Seek Out Honest Feedback

Last week I went over the third step, understand the story of your life, so this week I'm going to over step four: seek honest feedback.

If you missed last week, click HERE to catch up and read it!

I’m sure we have all wondered at one time or another, what other people really think of us, but wouldn’t it be interesting to see ourselves through someone else’s eyes?

It’s more than just the nice things people say to be polite, it’s how they really actually view us.

We all have traits that others see in us but we are unable to see them in ourselves. These are called "blind spots."

None of us are all totally aware of how we come across to others so we have to rely on the feedback for the answers. Find a close friend or loved one and inform them that you would like them to give you an informal, but direct and honest view. The more honest they are, the more it can help you. This is also something you can do at work if you feel comfortable enough to do so.

If this person that we are asking feedback from can give us some real well done, constructive, formalized feedback, it will allow us to better see our own strengths and weaknesses.

What do you think; do you see yourself as others see you? Probably not, so in order to receive honest feedback, ask people you trust. This can be hard because you can never be sure of what the other person is going to say.

You could be pleasantly surprised or you could feel very hurt and defensive. If you find yourself feeling defensive, take note of that and figure out why that particular comment makes you feel that way. This helps you identify your triggers.

Be aware of the things that trigger you within your relationships with people, within yourself, and within being faced with the truth in general.

Always make sure this person feels safe enough to do this for you and thank them for their feedback. As hard as some things may be for you to hear, it’s probably not an easy thing for them to say, either.

Becoming self-aware won’t happen in a day, it’s a lifelong journey but it will help become more comfortable with being open, transparent, and even vulnerable.

*Stay tuned for my next "Self-Awareness Saturday" at 7:30pm EST over at Facebook.com/RachelFaulFitness for part 5