S3 Ep1: How Does Self-Awareness Inform Your Identity?

Did you know that your identity is largely artificial and comes from your equally artificial ego? Identity is complex. How you identify yourself varies depending on circumstances and situations. Identity tends to get tied up in ego. Which adds to its utter artifice. You are made up of a conscious mind and a subconscious mind. The subconscious mind runs on rote and routine and often isn’t fully engaged. But in your subconscious mind your beliefs, values, and habits live. Your conscious mind is your present, aware, awake mind. When you’re consciously aware, you’re mindful. That mindfulness informs you, here and now, about who, what, where, how, and why you are. Everyone experiences periods of being mindful and consciously aware. During those periods, they form an impression of themselves based on bridging the conscious and subconscious minds. The construct that comes of that is the ego. The ego, thus, is how you project yourself to the world without, and simultaneously reflect yourself back within yourself. The notion of “who” is identity. That’s why it’s tied to ego – and why it tends to be wholly artificial. Mindfulness, the now, and identity Unlike your subconscious mind - and its constantly running programs - your conscious mind can only be engaged in the now. Your conscious awareness – conscious mind – functions entirely in the present. Mindfulness is how you assume the control that’s rightfully yours. How? Becoming consciously aware, here and now, is as easy as asking questions like, ·        What am I thinking? ·        What am I feeling? ·        How am I feeling? ·        What am I doing? ·        Why am I doing what I’m doing? ·        What are my intentions? The ego, comfort zones, and resistance to change The ego settled into a comfort zone. It presented you with a place that made you feel stable – thus creating a comfort zone. Egos hate and fear change. Why? Because change kills them. Your ego is artificial. When you recognize this – you become empowered to live with conscious awareness and change it actively. This will, inevitably, kill your ego. Your true identity is fluid Who you are, deep in your heart of hearts, is rooted in your subconscious mind – not your ego. When you know that your identity is largely artificial – and tied to your equally artificial ego – you can use conscious self-awareness to actively change. Despite egoic resistance, mindfulness puts you in the driver’s seat. This week’s Applied Guidance for Mindfulness Tool: Let’s take a look at what your ego is projecting both within and without – and whether it is truly you, or not. Take a moment to yourself, get a pen paper (or sit in front of your computer), and be alone somewhere quiet. Take at least 3 deep breaths in and out to center yourself. Then, set a timer for 1 minute. Start the timer and write down (or type) all the “I am” statements that come to mind over the next minute. These can tie into thoughts, feelings, intentions, tangibles, and/or intangibles. After the time is up, look at your list. Mark anything that looks and feels wrong. Write down what’s not right about it and why. Repeat as necessary. Author Website Email Instagram Facebook LinkedIn TikTok Blogs: titaniumdon.com and mjblehart.medium.com Cover artist Fe Mahoney: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TaliasInspirations