A 3D View of Self-Awareness

Healthy Christian leaders progressively develop and evaluate an accurate picture of themselves.

Develop and evaluate a 3D view of self-awareness

In working with wood, several views of the project are helpful for construction. Front view will give height and width, and side view will show depth.

A. This front view is to grow in understanding of one’s actions, thoughts, emotions, and their corresponding physical reactions.

These make one view of our emotional well-being. Thoughts, emotions actions and physical body are all connected. Do you know how your body responds to emotions? How accurate is your picture of yourself? What are the signs of your body being under emotional pressure?

Give yourself permission to explore your emotions, not just love, joy and peace, but sadness, anger and pain. I once thought that my role as a leader was to put my emotions aside and carry on providing a solid place for others. Yes, that’s true to some degree. But constantly burying them does not resolve them. Jesus, sinless, showed emotions—anger, pain, sadness, grief, love, joy and peace etc. It is clear that emotions didn’t hijack Him. In the garden before his arrest, his body sweat drops of blood. Now that really is a physical reaction related to thoughts and emotions.

B. This side view is to consider how actions, thoughts and emotions align with internal values.

Creating alignment with internal values and actions, thoughts and emotions are essential for wellbeing; this alignment shows the link between soul and body. We don’t cope well when there is a difference between values and actions. A gap will compound stress and have serious, often physical, consequences.
This view helps us explore who we really are and who we want to be. It helps us build our integrity. The gap between who we want to be and where we are can be disempowering. This gap is the breeding ground for shame and guilt. Who can help you narrow the gap? When the gap is unattended people will hide their actions or surrender to who they don’t want to be.

Healthy well-being understands that the spirit, soul and physical body are all connected and interdependent and interrelated.

Who can help you to build an accurate picture?

I keep asking that question because I am so grateful for the sight I gain through being mentored. Yes, present tense, still learning, still discovering.
A mentor’s skill helps them discern your health, and through providing feedback, they help construct an accurate picture, assisting you to heal in areas that need attention. A mentor will coach you to gain alignment between values and actions.

Next Blog – I will share the outcome of creating a 3D view of self-awareness.