Fostering Student Self-Awareness

In a captivating TED Talk, Tasha Eurich, an organizational psychologist, defines self-awareness as "the capacity to perceive ourselves with clarity, comprehend our true nature, perceive how others perceive us, and grasp our place in the world." In the career rat race, the self-aware student always comes out on top. While many individuals believe they possess this quality, that assumption is not always accurate. It's rarely the conversation a teenager has to themselves. The fact remains: self-aware individuals make more meaningful choices, and don't just "....Keep Up With The Joneses.” True, Fortune 500 HR departments value it above all else when interviewing candidates to assess their maturity levels.

Facilitating Awareness

In my practice, we always begin with a series of self-awareness exercises that help students reflect on their interests, skills, values, attitudes, priorities and preferences, fears, desires, talents, and personal styles. Engaging in certain activities can facilitate the development of self-awareness. In our office, we follow a four-step process to foster reflection. This is always the first step we take with every student we work with.

Step 1: Mindfulness

Engaging in exercises designed to prompt self-reflection, such as asking oneself probing questions about personal goals, values, passions, and areas for growth, can stimulate introspection and self-awareness. Talking to students about Mindfulness helps them shift their focus by observing their thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations without judgment or attachment. This introspective practice helps in understanding one's inner experiences and patterns of thinking.

Step 2: Journaling

Following this, regularly writing in a journal can provide a space for self-reflection and capturing your realizations. By expressing thoughts, feelings, and experiences on paper, students can gain clarity and insights into their values, beliefs, and behaviors.

Step 3: Personal Assessments

Taking reputable personality, interest, and talent assessments can give students objective insights into their personality traits, preferences, and tendencies, aiding self-awareness. It helps them realize how they might be different from others around them.

Step 4: Conversations

Actively engaging in conversating with them about the above three helps students realize their preferences, strengths, weaknesses, and blind spots. Constructive feedback from a counselor can help students gain a more accurate perception of themselves.

Advantages of Self-Awareness

I've seen that self-aware students approach career decisions and college applications with stronger gust than others. It impacts stronger performance across areas as diverse as taking charge of their journeys and inside-out decision-making, time management, communication skills, enhanced productivity, dealing with unexpected outcomes, and overall better mental health.

When you are aware of your communication style, it is easier to tailor it to the needs of your audience. A heightened self-awareness also allows for better active listening skills. By becoming more engaged, you and the student also have a better and more trusting relationship. Students who spend time reflecting on their individuality can present their uniqueness in college profiles, essays, and interviews more strongly than their peers. They are also more aware of their emotions, emotional well-being, and self-sabotaging habits. Such individuals are aware of what works for them, and what doesn't - everything from what time of the day to study, and who to spend more time with. By being mindful of potential biases and understanding how they can lead to poor choices, self-aware individuals make smarter decisions. Focusing on self-awareness also helps us practice patience (you start to respond, not react more often than not). When you're a self-aware student, you know your superpowers and shortcomings. By using resources more efficiently, you can work smarter and increase productivity.