Since you are with you all the time, it's very important that you develop a complete understanding of yourself. No matter what your past, present or future hold, knowing and understanding yourself, your responses and your motivations will help you cope effectively and thrive happily. Luckily, gaining this type of knowledge is fairly simple. You don't have to engage an expensive therapist or undergo years of psychoanalysis. Instead, buy an inexpensive spiral notebook and begin journaling. In this article, we will tell you how and why.
Many people are never conscious of feeling any emotion other than anger or amusement. This doesn't mean they don't have other emotions, but they simply redirect those emotions to come out as these simple states. This can cause lots of problems and has sent lots of people to therapy. The key to dealing with inappropriate anger or the lack of empathy that comes from viewing the world as a reality show is to stop, breathe and examine your responses to the events around you. Taking a few moments to journal can help you recognize the true feeling that usually precedes inappropriate anger or amusement. Once identified, take some time to examine this emotion and think about why you are feeling it. Use your journal to help you work through your thoughts.
Journaling can help you identify patterns in your behavior. For example, you may feel sad or tired at specific times daily or on specific days of the month. To figure out what is causing your feelings, chart them in your journal. A calendar page with times noted is best. Watch for precursors to your feelings. Do you experience sadness or tiredness after lunch every day? Perhaps this is a physical response to having just eaten. A quick walk may help. Do you feel depressed around certain regular events at home or work? Take some time to write about this and examine your feelings to determine exactly what the problem is.
Keeping a journal of your feelings will help you see them from a different point of view. With a written record, you can go back and review your thoughts and feelings as time passes and take note of ways in which you have grown, improved and changed. You will begin to recognize your feelings and learn to express them appropriately rather than simply converting them to anger or humor. Writing about your feelings will help you honor their importance.
When you honor the importance of your own feelings, you will also begin to honor the events that trigger them and to seek ways of resolving problems and issues in your world. From concerns about your health and appearance to job and relationship dissatisfaction, all of the circumstances of your life are worthy of your attention. While many people who lack self-awareness simply trudge from day to day making money and paying bills, the truly self aware person takes control and imbues his or her life with direction and goals. When you write about your feelings and learn about yourself, you will feel empowered to take control and live the life you want and deserve.