10 signs you’re more self-aware than most people

Genuine self-awareness is the silent capacity to witness your thoughts before they become your actions.

Your body speaks first

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Your body knows how you feel way before your brain tells you.

You might find your jaw tensing up even during a perfectly normal meeting. Or your stomach sinks when someone mentions a specific topic. Or your breathing quickens as you compose a sneaky text message. Instead of suppressing these signals, you acknowledge them.

Noticing you’re getting wound up before you blow up can stop you from speaking out of turn to someone who hasn’t earned it.

You question your sabotage

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Most of us can whine about procrastinating, staying stuck or over committing all day long.

But when you become self aware, you investigate further by asking yourself: What is my negativity protecting me from right now?

You can honestly admit that putting off a task protects you from being judged on the final result, or that playing the victim gets you quick comfort without having to change.

And being able to pinpoint the unconscious payoff behind your self-sabotage is illuminating.

You spot emotional excuses

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Whenever you choose to stay home instead of going out, not apply for that job, or not respond to a text, your brain instantly conjures up a really good explanation of why you shouldn’t.

Instead of falling for it yourself, you see the trap. ” I’m not choosing not to go to this party because I have things to do. I’m choosing not to go because I don’t want to be around those people.”

Recognizing your brain attempting to dress fear up as false logic requires genuine integrity.

You recognize projection

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When someone does something that makes you mildly irritated you don’t start analyzing them, you analyze yourself.

That irritation you feel towards your coworker’s partner, who always talks about himself, probably comes from your own suppressed need to be heard.

Acknowledging this allows you to turn everyday irritation into teachable moments of what you’re subconsciously craving.

Past pain, present reactions

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You never suddenly explode when someone innocently comments on your finances.

Instead you freeze up because you know exactly where that feeling is from: it’s the same stress you felt as a child seeing your parents fight about money.

Separating the present from your memories prevents you from picking new fights over old scars.

Awareness of your impact

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You realize that you don’t exist in a bubble and your mood, posture and tone impact those around you.

If you walk into a room stressed, quiet, or annoyed you notice how it affects the collective energy. You own your mood instead of trying to make everyone else fit your needs.

You know mixed feelings can coexist

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You can describe yourself with broad statements: I am generous. I am diligent. I am patient.

However, when you truly know yourself, you realize you’re allowed to have contradictory emotions. You might voice, “I’m rooting for my friend and want them to succeed, but it’s hard not to feel a twinge of jealousy when they win.”

And acknowledging the opposing forces within you means you stop concealing your weaknesses, making them significantly less daunting.

You know your energy drainers

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You move beyond broad descriptions like “tired” or “occupied,” and understand exactly what drains your reserves.

You know that 30 minutes of social media will make you more tired than three hours of solid grind. Or that being around one family member takes you an entire night of Netflix and chill to recover from.

You schedule your days wisely because you know how your energy works.

When listening becomes winning

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In the middle of an argument you can sense the moment your intent changes from understanding to winning.

Your heart rate increases, you tune out of what the person is saying, and you start formulating your response while they are still speaking.

Noticing this moment allows you to pause, breathe, and say, “Wait, sorry I got defensive. Can you say that again? I want to hear what you have to say.”

Seeing people objectively

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You don’t let yourself instantly decide someone is wonderful or terrible because of how they made you feel.

It’s easy to think someone is intelligent and generous because they praised you, or to think someone is toxic because they criticized you for making a mistake.

You catch your brain doing this literally mid-sentence. Your ego takes a backseat to a balanced assessment of others, freeing you to articulate thoughts such as, “He was pretty awful to me today, but that doesn’t define him as a bad person,” or “She is incredibly kind to me, but it’s obvious that she mistreats others.”

Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.

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Only people with high self-awareness can answer these 8 tough questions

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Anyone can list their strengths and weaknesses, but real self-awareness begins when the questions become uncomfortable.

Only people with high self-awareness can answer these 8 tough questions