With a little understanding and effort you can learn how to increase your awareness of who you are, and discover all that you can become. Today many individuals spend much of their time worrying about things that have happened in the past. Others fret over the things that they imagine might happen in the future. The one thing of which they have the least amount of awareness is the present-the “here and now”.

Being oblivious to your surroundings means that you are not fully aware of the life you are living. Your consciousness is lost in the past or future. These times really have no shape, form or substance. Instead of increasing your own awareness you are dwelling on mistakes, imperfections and other anxiety-provoking thoughts.

Once you learn how to increase your awareness of the present you will be more conscious of your place in the universe. Your energy can then be focused on developing your true existence. When you have achieved a higher level of awareness you will no longer beat yourself up because of mistakes that have occurred in the past. You will remind yourself that you must live in the Now and your life is what you make of it at this very moment.

Faults and imperfections are at odds with blissful awareness. Instead of trying to overcome your “baggage” and turning your life around you no longer have to exert such an extreme effort. You will understand that living a conscious and aware life means that you already have become a person with worth and value.

With total awareness you will have calmness, peace and an inner tranquility. You will realize that you are part of the universe and do not have to judge others or be judged yourself.

No longer will you feel turmoil and conflict because you will have a deep connection to your inner self. You will know who you are and be content with your journey. Instead of longing for the past or dreaming about the future you will concentrate on fully experiencing the life that you are living at this very moment.

When individuals begin to develop a higher level of awareness they can let go of those emotions and feelings that were holding their spirits captive. You no longer have to watch others to see what they do or think because you know that you are the one individual who truly matters.

What you think, say and do is important because these actions reflect your personal awareness. What others wish to say about you cannot harm you or make you feel bad because you know your own worth and value.

Discovering how to increase your awareness will allow you to improve your life, your relationships and your career. It is only when we become aware of our relationship with every other individual that we can begin to make positive changes. Self-awareness allows us to identify our inner weaknesses and human failings.

We can then take steps that will improve any behaviors, traits and personal characteristics that are lacking. Once we understand what triggers our negative reactions we can overcome these challenges. Then we are not controlled by outside forces because we are in full control of our perceptions, emotions, actions and reactions.

It can be difficult to reach a higher level of self-awareness based only on our own perceptions and values. For most individuals it is a challenge to maintain objectivity when describing their personal reactions or emotions. Subjective assessments become much more common. This is why an awareness coach might be useful. You could also try the following techniques to help you raise your inner awareness.

Whether you choose to “go it alone” ,or use a coach, it is important to have feedback. This information can be useful when you have identified the negative attributes and emotional reactions that you need to change.

Discover who you are (and what you really think) by immersing yourself in new sensations, new thoughts and new experiences. Take yourself outside of your familiar comfort zone and try to be as objective as possible when you review how you react to unusual ideas, unfamiliar environments and are meeting new people.

Record your personal life journey from the earliest memories until the present time. You can video record your experiences, speak your story aloud to a coach (or trusted confidante) or write your life history down on paper.

This will allow you to analyze your emotional reaction to the different memories and identify those situations that have negatively affected your life. You must confront these emotional triggers and resolve those negative feelings. Overcoming your past is the only way to free yourself to live in the present. Your awareness will be increased by what you learn as you once again walk the roads of your childhood, teen years and young adult life.

Continue to record your daily progress and experiences in a personal journal. These writings will provide you with real insight into who you are and how you think. You do not have to share your words and thoughts with anyone else. Be open to learning and discovery when you begin to keep a journal.

Learning to accept yourself for who you are at this time is the only real way you will ever heighten your own self-awareness. You have to face the “man in the mirror” and be able to love the image in that reflection.

Identify who you are and the person you hope to become. List your goals and dreams. If you are responsible for your lack of progress toward these goals you should take a hard look at why you are putting those stumbling blocks in your own path. Are these really your goals, or are you trying to live up to the expectations that someone else has demanded from you?

Instead of being hyper-critical and judgmental learn to show forgiveness and acceptance. You should extend this acceptance, understanding and forgiveness to everyone-including yourself.

Be grateful for what you have and stop worrying about what others may possess. You need to become thankful for all of the many positive wonders that are present in your life. Whether you are enjoying good health, a happy family or the companionship of good friends you can always find something that you should be thankful for-each and every day. Learning to be thankful instead of being envious will help you learn how to increase your awareness of life, love and happiness.

Embrace life and rush headlong to meet all of those exciting new challenges and opportunities. This will help you develop your self-awareness as well as a more acute awareness of your place in the world. You need to understand that life is a journey with no specific destination or time-line. Fully experience every minute of each day and you will soon find that your conscious awareness is slowly but surely growing, expanding and transforming the person you were into the amazing person you are now becoming.