Self-awareness is the ability to be an observer of our own thoughts, emotions, triggers, and patterns. It is a powerful tool that allows us to understand ourselves better, make conscious choices, and create positive change in our lives. However, many of us live our lives on autopilot, reacting to situations without fully understanding why. In this blog post, we’ll explore the concept of self-awareness and how childhood experiences condition our subconscious mind, leading us to live our lives on autopilot. We’ll also discuss how self-awareness can help us break free from these patterns and make conscious choices as adults.
Childhood experiences and conditioning of the subconscious mind
Our childhood experiences have a significant impact on our subconscious mind. From a young age, we learn how to respond to different situations and develop certain patterns of behavior that become ingrained in our subconscious. These patterns can be positive or negative, depending on the experiences we have had.
Research has shown that childhood experiences can shape the way our brains are wired. For example, children who grow up in abusive households may develop a heightened stress response, making them more prone to anxiety and depression as adults. Similarly, children who grow up in loving and nurturing environments may develop stronger neural connections for empathy and social connection, leading to better mental health outcomes.
Living our lives on autopilot
Our subconscious mind is like a computer that stores all of our past experiences, beliefs, and behaviours. When we encounter a situation, our subconscious mind automatically fetches related information and triggers a response based on our past experiences. Therefore we often find ourselves reacting to situations without fully understanding why.
Living our lives on autopilot can be detrimental because we are not making conscious choices as adults. We are simply reacting to situations based on past experiences, which may not be relevant or helpful in our current situation. This can lead to negative patterns of behaviour and limit our potential for growth and happiness.
How self-awareness can help us break free from autopilot
Self-awareness is the key to breaking free from autopilot. By observing our thoughts, emotions, triggers, and patterns, we can begin to understand ourselves better and make conscious choices. Research has shown that self-awareness can lead to better mental health outcomes, improved relationships, and increased resilience.
One study found that self-awareness can improve emotional intelligence, which is the ability to recognize and understand our own emotions and the emotions of others. This can lead to better communication, more positive relationships, and improved mental health outcomes.
Another study found that self-awareness can help individuals break free from negative patterns of behaviour, such as addiction or self-destructive behaviour. By observing their thoughts and triggers, individuals were able to develop new neural pathways and make conscious choices that led to positive outcomes.
Conclusion
Self-awareness is a powerful tool that can help us break free from autopilot and make conscious choices as adults. Our childhood experiences condition our subconscious mind, leading us to live our lives on autopilot. However, by observing our thoughts, emotions, triggers, and patterns, we can begin to understand ourselves better and create positive change in our lives. Research has shown that self-awareness can lead to better mental health outcomes, improved relationships, and increased resilience. So take some time to be an observer of your thoughts and emotions, and see how it can positively impact your life.