7 insights into building resilience # 1

# 1 
Develop your self-awareness and appraise yourself

​In order to begin building your resilience, you have to develop self-awareness.
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It implies, you have to be aware of yourself, who you are, what you are capable of, your limits, how you see yourself and how you treat yourself. When your knowledge of self is juxtaposed with people’s knowledge of you, you get a balanced picture of who you are, thereby, really knowing your strengths and your weaknesses.

Also, before you attempt building your resilience, it is best to have a good assessment of the level of your resiliency. A good source of assessment report are your friends, co-workers, and family members, they will be in a better to position to tell you how well you handle stress or pressure.

When we face stress or pressure, it unmasks a part of our personality that does not express itself when the going is good. Getting a good appraisal on your resilience will clue you in on how much work is needed to get your resiliency up to 21-century standard.

'Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart.  Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.'
Carl Jung

How do I do this?

A good start is to take some time aside and ask yourself some key questions and then have the courage to ask close friends, co-workers and managers to answer them too. At time being self-aware can take some courage, asking for feedback and learning to receive it can be challenging, but without it we seldom grow.​

Thank people for their feedback and look at the common themes. Once you have identified these themes, use the information to improve yourself and your life. Repeat the good stuff and implement actions to work on the constructive comments you feel are valid.

Some questions you can start with:
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• What are my strengths? 
• What are the most important things in my life, what do I value, what do I feel passionate about?
• How do I describe myself?
• I am living in coherence with my beliefs and my values?
• Who are the most important people in my life?
• What is the quality of my relationships with others? Am I putting enough effort into the important relationships in my life?
• What is my goal in life? What are my goals for the near future?
• What’s my definition of success?
• What do I think about myself?
• Am I mostly thinking positive or negative thoughts?
• What do I want to portray to others?
• What stresses me out?
• How do I react when I am under pressure?
• How resilient am I?
• What do I do to look after myself?
• How am I doing at work? Am I putting enough effort into my work?
• What energises me? 
• What bores me? Makes me feel tired?
• If you could not fail and if there were no limitations, if you could do anything, what would I choose to do? Etc.