LearnaBytes

In this part of the session, the participants will explore six actions they can take to develop their self-awareness. You will first share the actions with them briefly and then allow them to read about the actions. After that, you will do some activities to see how the actions may be used in practice.

Display the slide titled – ACTIONS FOR SELF-AWARENESS.

Tell them that they will have the opportunity to read about the six actions in more detail, but you want to share them first briefly.

Click on the slide once to display some information.

• The first action is that we should stop labeling our emotions as good or bad.

Click  on the slide again to display the second action and let them know that:

• The second action is that we should not ignore uncomfortable feelings.

Click on the slide for the third time and tell them that:

•  The next action is for us to keep a journal of our emotions.

Click on the slide again to display information. Say that:

• The fourth action is to be aware of our physical reactions to our emotions.

Click on the slide again and say that:

• The fifth action is for us to know our “people triggers”.

Click on the slide for a final time and tell them that:

• The last action is to ask people for feedback.

Now, direct each of them to the section in their workbooks titled – SIX ACTIONS FOR SELF-AWARENESS.

WORKBOOK – SIX ACTIONS FOR SELF-AWARENESS

Give them 5-minutes to read the information.

Afterward, let them know that you are going to do a reflective activity with them to help them think about how to use the six actions for their own self-awareness.

Direct each of them to the section in their workbooks titled – REFLECTING FOR SELF-AWARENESS.

WORKBOOK – REFLECTING FOR SELF-AWARENESS

Let them know that they will need a pen and somewhere to write or they can use the space in the workbook. You will be asking them a number of questions that will require them to reflect and write down their answers.

Make sure that they are ready and let them know that you are now going to start the reflective conversation with them. Read the following information to them slowly so they can hear and think about what you are saying.

• Think about an experience that made you feel uncomfortable and generated in you strong emotions.
• It could be a work situation or a personal one that involved somebody else.
• Write down that experience.
• Next, think about the experience again. What emotions and feelings did you experience. Write down the emotions?
• When you think about the feelings you had, the emotions you experienced. Were they good or bad emotions?
• Write down whether you saw them as good or bad?
• Now, let’s think about those emotions or feelings for a minute. Are they really bad or good? Or is it the experience or situation that you really think of as good or bad?
• The emotions are neither good nor bad. They are just a reflection of how you saw the situation. A good mindset at this point is not to see your emotions and feelings as good or bad. See them as just emotions and feelings giving you information and signals about the situation you are experiencing.
• When we label emotions and feelings as bad, we tend to avoid them and we won’t be able to recognise or understand them.
• Let’s think about something else? Did you have any feelings or emotions that made you feel uncomfortable in the situation?
• Think about those feelings and emotions for a minute.
• What made them uncomfortable? Write that down.
• Would you rather avoid feelings and emotions that make you uncomfortable?
• If you avoid them, you will not be able to recognise them. Sitting with uncomfortable feelings and trying to understand them helps your self-awareness and gives you the foundation to manage them appropriately.
• Think about those feelings again and think about other times you’ve had strong feelings. Can you recall how your body felt physically when you were experiencing those feelings and emotions?
• How was your body reacting when you felt angry, sad, happy, excited, successful, upset, disappointed, and anxious.
• Think about that and write down those physical sensations. Recognising how your body reacts when you have certain feelings means you can become aware of how you are feeling at certain points in time and in certain situations much easier.
• Think back to this situation or other situations in which your engagement with someone resulted in strong feelings like anger, defensiveness, anxiety, frustration, and so on.
• What precisely did the person do that made you feel that way? Was it their body language, was it their facial expression, was it the way they talked, or was it the specific words they used?
• What were the specific trigger points that generated those emotions in you? Think about them and write them down?
• Next, imagine you had the opportunity to reflect on your feelings and write them in a journal. What would that look like? Would your journal be a phone app or a book? When would you do it? Daily or at the end of the week or end of the month.
• Keeping a journal of your emotions helps you see yourself more clearly and understand your tendencies in certain situations and with specific people. It also serves as a reference for you to understand more about yourself.
• Finally, getting perspective from others about yourself is very important because our own view of ourselves is often tainted by our experiences, beliefs, and moods.
• Others can help you see what you can’t see about yourself in a more objective.
• Think about your circle of relationships, in and out of work. Who are you comfortable asking for honest feedback? Write that down.
• Whoever you ask should be someone you can trust to give you honest feedback in a respectable way that does not put you down.
• Take another 2-minutes to think about this reflection activity and how it will increase your self-awareness.

After 2-minutes thank them for doing the reflective activity and ask them for any comments and or questions. It’s not necessary for them to respond.

In the next part of the session, the participants will revisit the case of Leroy to discuss how he might have used some of the six actions.