Tuning in Every Day to Protect Our Mind
Developing Self-Awareness by Asking Questions
Putting my pen to paper about how I feel helps me develop self-awareness;
on what and/or who enriches and depletes my mind. Developing our self-awareness becomes possible when we tune in. ‘Tuning In means being present, being aware of what’s happening within you and in the
world, around you’; the theme, for this year’s mental health month (in Australia) as described by WayAhead mental health association in NSW, Australia.
The process of tuning in prompts to ask:
1) ‘What can you sense right now?’
2) ‘What can you feel?’
In other words, these questions encourage us to explore and understand the different thoughts, emotions and feelings we experience; as we navigate through different circumstances of life. The process also helps us to be aware of our different states of mind.
For instance, if I impulsively reach out to use my mobile, as the first action, after I get up, to check social media or news outlet, I reap its negative effects for the rest of the day. Emotionally drained, anxious and exhausted. Yet, if I begin my day with gratitude, followed by praying and journaling, it enriches my mind to navigate the day with thoughts of possibilities, hope and positivity.
We all experience intense emotions from time to time. Hiding or masking them does not help ourselves or the people around us. The more we try to suppress, the more it expresses itself in various dysfunctional patterns. We may tend to do black-and-white thinking, ruin our relationships, and unable to be the best selves within our different spheres of influence.
One of the strategies I use to process my emotions is to express them in my journal honestly. It often helps me explore and express my fears, thoughts, concerns and inhibitions; along with my aspirations and visions. Immersing myself in this practice, before I expose my senses to digital devices, helps me decide the tone for the day rather than a distressing piece of news inflict pain and anxiety for me throughout the day. Journaling also helps me build perspectives that encourage me to do the things that are within my control rather than fret over what I cannot control.
Also, there are times, when I might find it tricky to pinpoint what I am feeling and the why behind it. In those instances, I find Plutchik’s wheel of emotions as a helpful resource to identify and name different emotions.
What may trigger you and me, positively and negatively, might differ from time to time and season to season, based on several factors. It may include our levels of sensitivity, personalities, temperament, upbringing, environment, influences and so forth. Yet, what should remain consistent, throughout, should be our commitment to know ourselves as much as we can.
As Tony Robbins reminds ‘self-awareness is one of the rarest of human commodities. I don’t mean self-consciousness where you’re limiting and evaluating yourself. I mean being aware of your own patterns’.
For when we learn to pay attention to our patterns of being enriched and depleted, we can be better equipped to know the daily choices, habits and boundaries we can adopt, and abandon to keep our mind sane. Investing time to be self-aware, not only helps us to be empathetic towards our self but, also reminds us to extend the same empathy towards people around us.
Let us commit to practising tuning in, not just as part of mental health awareness month in Australia, but every day to explore and be aware of our states of mind.
