Self-awareness is an essential skill for teens (and adults!) because it helps them understand themselves better, make informed decisions, and navigate the complex social and emotional challenges of adolescence. Here are just a few of the reasons self-awareness needs to be taught:

  • Self-awareness helps teens understand their strengths and weaknesses allowing them to make choices that are true to themselves.
  • By developing self-awareness, our teens can learn to recognize their emotions, understand their triggers, and regulate their responses in a healthy and productive way.
  • Teenagers who develop self-awareness are better equipped to understand the perspectives and emotions of others leading to stronger relationships.
  • Teenagers face numerous decisions about their future, including choices about education, career, and relationships. By developing self-awareness, they can make informed decisions based on their values, goals, and priorities.

There are many ways to develop self-awareness, and the following are some strategies that can be helpful:

  • Writing down thoughts and emotions in a journal can help individuals identify patterns and triggers that impact their moods and behaviors.
  • Feedback: Seeking feedback from trusted friends, family members, or a therapist can provide valuable insight into one's strengths, weaknesses, and blind spots.
  • Personality assessments: Personality assessments such as Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) or the Enneagram can provide insight into one's personality traits, values, and preferences.
  • Reading: Reading can be a powerful tool for building self-awareness. Reading exposes individuals to a wide range of perspectives, cultures, and experiences prompting the reader to reflect on their own thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Further, when individuals identify with characters in a book they gain a better understanding of their own feelings, experiences, and challenges and recognize patterns in their own behavior.

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