Self Awareness And Self Examination, Do It

When was the last time you gave yourself a self examination? No, not the kind you do in front of a mirror. Although, now that I think about it, those too are a good idea. You know what, after you’re done reading this article, give yourself one of those physical self examinations, really. Have fun with it. Wait, that sounded wrong and came out bad. Better yet, maybe just go to a doctor. Anyways, back on track. Self examinations. I’m referring to mental self examinations. I’m talking about self awareness, which I feel is the first and most important thing. Here’s why I say that. Stay with me here, even though you probably know this already, the Process of Manifestation. Thoughts lead to Feelings. Feelings lead to Actions. Actions lead to Results. So, it all starts with and can be traced back to our thoughts.You might say the genesis of everything. So all change must start with our thoughts. So, if all starts with our thoughts, wouldn’t it make sense we pay attention to and actually be aware of what we’re thinking. I mean, how can you change something if you’re not even aware of what needs to change. Now, this might sound like it’s elementary, but you’d be surprised of how few people are fully aware and conscious. The fact of the matter is that most people are running on autopilot going through the motions of life. Certain limiting beliefs or negative thoughts spring into their mind and they just roll with them without analyzing them and discarding them. I think it was Frank Kern that said most people are walking around in a mental fog that he calls “The Cough Syrup Shuffle”, and I’d agree. In a previous blog about self awareness, I spoke of catching myself repeating a stupid saying that I picked up somewhere and have been saying for years and didn’t even agree with it once I examined it. If you haven’t read it, read it after you finish this article. Anyways, that article really speaks to the external side of things. What I mean by that, is thoughts and beliefs you picked up from friends or family or other people you’ve listened to. Now I want to turn the tables and focus on our own thoughts that we originate. Thoughts. You see, there is a constant conversation we are having with ourselves. This constant dialogue is always going on and we must merely tune into it to hear what we’re telling ourselves. If you listen, you can actually hear your thoughts. You with me here? I’m not speaking conceptually. I’m talking practically. I’m talking about shutting off the TV and actually listening to your thoughts and the things you’re telling yourself. Try this alone in silence. As well, as you go about your day, try to focus on the thoughts that pop into your mind. Are they facts or mere opinions? Example. I was on my front porch one night a few months back and a new marketing strategy for a project I’m working on came into my mind. My next thought was, “Wow Ron, that’s a great idea, that could really work well.” Literally, 3 seconds later another voice popped in and said, “Ron, nice try but it’s not gonna work. Others must have tried it. Probably too expensive. Not gonna work.” And you know what? I bought in. Without doing any research, I bought in. I agreed with that second thought. But only for a 1 minute. Yeah, like 1 minute passed, and I snapped out of it and said, “Wait, where did that voice come from. Who the heck is he to tell me what won’t work?” You see, this kind of negative self talk can stop us dead in our tracks before we even get started. So, that’s what I”m talking about here. Increase your self awareness. Be conscious of what you’re telling yourself. Pay attention to the thoughts you’re agreeing with and believing. Feelings. While we’re at it, lets take this idea of examining our lives even a little further into the process of manifestation. Looking at our feelings, certain things probably make you feel a certain way. Why is that? If you have negative feelings about someone or something, ask yourself why you feel that way? Obviously, we know certain thoughts have led to those feelings. Is there a false belief or thought that you’re holding onto there. Why not think and believe a more positive thought? (Side note: You see, we create our own reality. We get to choose our thoughts. And our thoughts are the genesis of everything. Our thoughts lead to the creation of our reality.) Actions. Going right down the fairway, next in the process of manifestation is action. In the spirit of living an examined life, ask, why do we do certain things? Why do we have certain habits? Know this, every habit we have serves a certain purpose (good or bad) otherwise we wouldn’t have it. By increasing your self awareness and asking yourself the tough questions, we can replace certain habits with better ones. Bottom line. Be an active participant in your life. All the best, Ron