The Power of Self-Awareness in a Fast-Paced World
Picture by Johannes Plenio
Practical guide for awareness
Practice meditation
Many meditation practices involve closing the eyes, allowing us to disengage our visual sensory system. In a world where we are constantly bombarded by sensory inputs, one of the first benefits we can experience from meditation is giving our eyes a rest.
Meditation also gives us time for ourselves. Time is invaluable, and we have much to gain by taking care of it. Taking time for ourselves is one of the best ways we can spend it.
Many meditation techniques also involve focusing on our breath. Becoming aware of our breathing brings numerous benefits.
Meditation may seem like an esoteric practice, but by understanding these few points, we can appreciate its practical value. If you manage to attain nirvana from there, all the better for you!
Recommended books :
Wherever you go, there you are by Jon Kabat-Zinn
Altered Traits by Daniel Goleman and Richard J. Davidson
Picture by volant
Cultivate a Growth mindset
By developing a growth mindset, we begin to see things from a different perspective. Things that were impossible to us now appear in ou reach. Cultivating a growth mindset will take time and will surely be difficult at first. It will depend on how much we are “attached” to the fixed mindset we have been taught to have.
This may be one of the most important step. When achieved, it will open doors to a world of possibilities which was invisible to us until then.
Recommended podcast : How to Enhance Performance & Learning by Applying a Growth Mindset by Andrew Huberman
Picture by Growtika
Work on your breath
We usually don’t put too much attention to our breath. However, this is the only means at our disposal to actively influence our nervous system.
Inhaling increases our heart rate while exhaling decreases our heart rate.
So if we need to calm down, we would want to have a longer and more vigorous exhale than inhale.
Another way to use our breath to reduce stress is the “Physiological sigh” : a double inhale through the nose, followed by an exhale through the mouth.
This is known to reduce stress “in real time”.
Picture by Raj Rana
Try seeing the world and society from a different perspective
When we are in the rush of our everyday life, we sometimes lose the vision of what we want to ultimately achieve. Some events may force us to see our life from a different angle, most often tragic events unfortunately.
Take a look at the picture on the left (or above on mobile phone). Are you able to identify the two different interpretations from it?
We often take for granted that our point of view is right and that others should see things the same way as we do. We should remind ourselves that we all think this way.
What was the last thing you learned that changed your perspective?
“My Wife and My Mother-in-Law” by William Ely Hill
Stay humble
We have much to learn from everyone on this earth. This is why we can all benefit from becoming Role models: your impact may seem modest, but it is essential.
Remembering our own mortality can help us stay grounded in reality: we are insignificant when compared to the scale of time and the universe.
Humility allows us to enjoy life more fully and gives us the courage to face challenges when the opportunity arises.
Picture by Pete Walls
Let’s acknowledge our differences
We Need to Accept It
Whether we like it or not, or whether we want to accept it or not, this is the truth: genetics, caretakers, city, country, and culture all shape us. From the moment we are born, our lives begin with certain attributes that we have no control over.
However, this doesn’t imply inequality in our potential, fortunately. Nor does it mean that our fate is predetermined. Only if we decide to do nothing about it is our fate sealed. We should always keep this in mind, not to create hierarchies, but to better understand others.
Time Is Often the Issue
Often, the key difference between individuals is the time it takes them to understand or execute a particular task. If time were unlimited, most of us could eventually perform almost anything at a very high level.
However, time is limited, and this constraint affects how much we can achieve. The more we practice something, the smoother and faster it becomes, leading to improvement. Conversely, it can lead to frustration and hopelessness if someone, compared to others, seems to make little or no progress. While this may seem like a limitation, it could mean that the learning method isn’t suitable, or that other factors are missing for full comprehension of the task. After all, we cannot run if we haven’t learned to walk.
Being Different Isn’t a Bad Thing
Our differences allow us to accomplish a wide variety of things by doing our best. This has shaped the society we live in today, which, while flawed, possesses many qualities that we can enhance by striving for excellence.
We should view our differences as a way to understand ourselves, not only on an individual level, but as a species that shares common values as human beings.
Picture by Clay Banks
Recommended books :
1984 by George Orwell
The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman
