In our lives, the number one priority should be the expansion of our own self awareness. We need to become aware, accept, and in some cases adjust the truth about ourselves and our world.

To examine our personally and socially constructed narratives while building self-confidence, we need to contemplate with our inner selves. We have the possibility of reversing that narrative and speak from expertise as the person we would like to believe that we are. We are who we think that we are.

We can achieve this through the following:

• Cease automatically and arbitrarily defending your own viewpoints as being binary (i.e., right/wrong, or black/white). This relentless attack/defense stops us from receiving new ideas.
• Problematize and reassess your concepts, values, belief systems, assumptions, defenses, goals, hopes, and truths.
• Understand, evaluate, and revise your real needs and motivations.
• Learn to trust your intution.
• Observe your mistakes and try to correct them. We learn more about ourselves through this process.
• Love yourself and others.
• Listen without prejudice and evaluation. Train yourself to listen to WHAT someone is saying without auditing their expressions.
• Recognize what you are defending most of the time.
• Understanding that the end result and your unlocked awareness will provide the means and motivation needed to enact further change in your life.

When we contemplate, we connect with the part of yourself that is deeper than the active mind. We go deeper than thought and deeper than our personal ego. We experience a truth as we witness our connections with others and nature. 

It is important that we realization this truth and experience it rather than just learning about it. This is the ultimate value of contemplation. It doesn’t really matter what form or practice you use to contemplate. Just do it. Problematize your perspectives. Belabor your narrative.

Ultimately, the realization of your true self will become reality.  This is one possible opportunity to experience inner peace, contentedness and freedom.

If you value posts like this, please consider connecting by subscribing to my weekly newsletter.

Image Credit