Journey into self-awareness

Dr. D. and Classmates,

Good evening everyone! How are you guys today? I pray that my message reaches you all in good health and spirits! Our first weeks discussion asked us to preview our assigned readings and gain understanding about one of four discussion topics. The one I chose is about the importance of self awareness. Our textbook, Interpersonal Skills in Organizations, defines the term self awareness as the capacity for introspection and the ability to reconcile self as an individual separate from the environment and other individuals (de Janasz, Dowd & Schneider, 2018).
From gathering empirical and professional experience, I have come to understand that self awareness allows us to fully flourish and more effectively in any setting. Being able to identify who you are as an individual, and your uniqueness allows you to reflect on adversities, negativity and find that sense to control themselves, in a different manner as far as reactions, behaviors and thoughts that are exhibited in the process. Personally, enduring traumatic experiences that life threw my way, from losing my father as a child, the only man I knew that loved me unconditionally, having a strained relationship with my mother and sister, the two leading maternal figures in my life, and having experienced two near death experiences.
Recognizing that everyone is not for you nor do they always have your best interest, really pushed me to find my true self and learn to love, respect and be true to me, since all I have had to rely on to never disappoint myself was, me. While enduring these hardships, I was gifted the opportunity of learning the relevance and the effect of optimism, positive thinking and constructive criticism, while also gaining sense of and also becoming more knowledgeable about my worth, all while improving my interpersonal communication skills that included my strengths, weaknesses which also helped me to really empathize with others in their times of need.
Researchers from Wright State University’s, Department of Management, stated in a article titled, Self Awareness and Personal Development, that self awareness is one of the most essential factors for enhancing our management skills because it allows us to enhance our discernment abilities when looking for ways to excel both personally and professionally mainly through self assessing to identify our personality traits, personal values, habits, emotions, motivations, and psychological values and needs that push us to behave in certain manners (Williams, 2021).
Even with everything that I have experienced in my life, I still maintain a full life and motivate myself while guiding others to be more optimistic in hopes of reaching their optimal state of a healthier mind, happier lifestyle, and better decision making skills. Also, when I found myself in need of a little pick me up spiritually, I would confide in my very tight knit group of two very close confidants who allowed me to freely vent and when I allowed my weaknesses to make me feel at my lowest, those individuals were always there to empower me with inspirational scriptures, reminding me of the things that they admired, appreciated, and loved most about my perseverance, strength and resilience.