What Do You See When You Peel Back Your Layers?

Are you Self-Aware?

If you asked most people if they were self-aware, they’d probably say, “yes.” We all like to think that we know ourselves. You know your strengths, weaknesses, and personality type. You understand your thoughts, values, and opinions too, right? The truth is that most of us could use a little work on our self-awareness. We aren’t as self-aware as we think we are. And there are some sure-fire signs that is the case.

Do You Get Defensive?

Defensiveness is a sign that you’re not as self-aware as you might think you are. When a person feels frightened or scared they can become defensive. Instead of facing their fears and looking at the situation honestly, which might show you some things about yourself that you don’t want to know or face, you become defensive. It’s all an attempt to avoid confronting whatever it is you don't want to confront. The next time you find yourself feeling defensive, take a step back and ask yourself why. What are you trying to avoid facing?

Are You Controlling?

If you suddenly become controlling or start to micromanage a situation, it’s another sign that you’re avoiding facing a harsh truth. Or you may be avoiding dealing with something that’s important to you and your life.

Behavior Changes

Other behavior changes can be a sign that you’re not as self-aware as you think you are. Beyond getting defensive or becoming more controlling, you might find that your behavior changes in other ways. For example, you might become reclusive if you’re trying to avoid facing something, or you might become a social butterfly so that you can avoid thinking and being alone with your thoughts. Becoming passive aggressive, blaming others, or playing the victim are all signs that you’re not dealing with something that is important.

These behavior changes and personality traits all come from a place of avoidance. If you’re avoiding your thoughts, needs, feelings, and opinions then you’re not self-aware. Quite the opposite in fact; you’re avoiding being self-aware and that never helps you or anyone else.

Living with Less Means Living Well

“There are no victories at bargain prices.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower

Living with Less Means Living Well

Living with less simply means that you only spend your money on things that are valuable to you. Think about what you’ve purchased in the past month. Did you need all of it? How much of what you purchased actually brought value to your life?

Living with less doesn’t mean that you don’t have nice things in your life. It does mean that you have fewer nice things because you only buy items that you love and items that add value.

Living with Less Means Taking Care of What You Have

With so many disposable items in the world, it’s easy to take them for granted. For example, you can head to the store and buy a $200 couch. When that couch is stained it’s not a big deal to throw it away and buy a new one. Or you can buy a $2000 couch that you love, take great care of it, and have it around for the next ten to twenty years.

Living with Less Means Prioritizing Memories, Not Material Items

Would you rather have a new shirt every week for a year or a vacation? A 35-dollar shirt purchased each week adds up to 1820 dollars. That can be a nice vacation. When people look back on their lives, they remember the good times that they had, not the items that they owned. Living well with less means prioritizing those good times.

Living well with less is about remembering what’s important to you. It’s about setting priorities for your life and then creating a lifestyle that supports those priorities.