“Don't Just
Don't just learn, experience.
Don't just read, absorb.
Don't just change, transform.
Don't just relate, advocate.
Don't just promise, prove.
Don't just criticize, encourage.
Don't just think, ponder.
Don't just take, give.
Don't just see, feel.
Don’t just dream, do.
Don't just hear, listen.
Don't just talk, act.
Don't just tell, show.
Don't just exist, live.”
Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

Being self-aware means understanding your own emotions, thoughts, and behaviour. It means taking responsibility for your actions and reactions, and examining your beliefs and values.

To become self-aware, you can start by:

Paying attention to your thoughts and feelings: Take time to reflect on your thoughts and emotions, and try to understand why you feel and think the way you do.

Identifying your triggers: Observe what situations and people make you feel uncomfortable or anxious and try to identify the underlying causes.

    Examining your beliefs and values: Think about what you believe in and what values are important to you. Ask yourself why those beliefs and values matter and how they guide your behaviour.

    Seeking feedback: Ask trusted friends and family members for honest feedback about how they perceive you and your behaviour. Listen openly and be willing to receive constructive criticism.

    Ilana Estelle is a mental health and wellbeing advocate who combines educational insight with her personal experience of living with physical, mental, and emotional disabilities. She holds diplomas in Counselling, Diet and Nutrition, Nutritional Therapy, Psychotherapy and Counselling, and Stress Management. Through her writing, Ilana supports others in navigating their emotional, mental, and physical health challenges. In addition to writing for The CP Diary, her work has appeared in healthy lifestyle magazines. Ilana is also the author of three books: Cerebral Palsy: A Story – Finding the Calm After the Storm, Spirituality, Healing and Me, and Survival: The Covid Years – Time for Change.

    Most people who read this blog

    went on to read these blogs next
    Date 23 October 2026
    Author Ilana Estelle

    Trauma and the Body: Understanding Isn't Enough

    When the past shapes how we feel and respond We often think of trauma as something we remember, something that belongs to the past. The reality is we're not always sure we have or carry trauma. But the effects of difficult ...
    Read more
    Date 21 October 2026
    Author Ilana Estelle

    Learning to Trust Your Intuition

    Ways to Strengthen Your Intuition and Trust Your Gut Having been locked in my head for years, I began to notice, listen to and trust what I later came to understand was my intuition in my early thirties. Have you ever had a ...
    Read more
    Date 18 October 2026
    Author Ilana Estelle

    The Things We Want to Be True

    On Belief, Self-Deception and the Difficulty of Accepting the Truth We like to think that believing something is the final step in a process. We observe. We consider. We weigh up what we know. Then we arrive at a ...
    Read more
    1 2 3 … 531

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Subscribe to receive regular updates

    Enter your details below to be the first to receive updates on new articles on my blog.