THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF AWARENESS

Everyone is really into the idea of romanticizing self-acceptance. Until five years ago, you wouldn't have a single teen rom com without some unnecessarily executed message about how you should love yourself or accept yourself. None of them really talk about what that even means. Mental health in general has not been widely and explicitly covered in mainstream media until the last decade. So, it is not a surprise that a complex topic like self-love or self- acceptance isn't exactly just teen flick material. Well, this is the very central idea of this article.

Very simply put, self-awareness comes from the realization and acceptance of your flaws/quirks, while simultaneously taking steps to work on them. In two words it means knowing yourself. Self-love is a concept that is heavily romanticized in the media. Now we can't always be self-aware in our actions. If we were always self-aware, we wouldn't exactly be humans; which is why self-awareness is more of an infinite process than a state of mind. Why would we waste our time thinking of something that is essentially never ending? The answer to that is simple.

[Human beings are becoming more self-aware with every generation. I feel like it's less of a chore and more of a step towards evolution. For example, therapy has been more and more appreciated in recent times. Well a therapist's job is simply to make you more self-aware so that you take responsibility for your actions and face your traumas, all of which lead to a much healthier lifestyle and eventually a healthier society.]

Denial, guilt and years of trauma are incredibly hard to accept and move forward from. However, it is a crucial process that needs to be spoken about more often. Understanding your emotions really brings into perspective how you can love yourself. Self-awareness is not just an attribute. It almost gives a sense of identity to the person. It also more often than not helps us in becoming a kinder, more understanding person.

Personally speaking, self-awareness has paved the path for my understanding and processing. It's not a one-dimensional answer to every problem you have. Mental disorders cannot solely be solved by simply being self-aware. Self-awareness is a process of taking responsibility for your emotions and understanding. It isn't a one way street to being okay. This may often make one feel overwhelmed and burdened, and under such situations, consulting a trained professional is one of the best approaches one can take. To give a rightful ending to this article, it would be apt to quote what someone once said - "Self-awareness doesn't stop you from making mistakes, it allows you to learn from them."