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Self-awareness is a foundational element of living a meaningful life, especially in the context of corporate wellness. It involves recognizing one's own thoughts, emotions, strengths, and weaknesses.
In the pursuit of a meaningful life, self-awareness acts as a compass, guiding individuals towards choices that align with their values and aspirations. It's a critical aspect of holistic wellness, encompassing not only physical but also mental and emotional well-being.
Nobody but Padmaja Iyer is the person to guide us through this topic. Listen to what Padmaja has to say on, "The importance of Self Awareness for a life of Meaning".
Key Takeaways
- Self-awareness is the antidote to victimhood. Most of us grow up believing we are shaped by external events and people — self-awareness is the ability to see the programs, beliefs, and fears we carry internally that determine our reactions.
- Challenges are allies, not enemies. Life presents difficulty precisely when you've been delaying a step your inner voice has been asking for — the challenge is the push you've avoided giving yourself.
- The "saboteur" keeps you small. Padmajaa points to the archetype of the saboteur — the inner voice that fears greatness because greatness requires leaving the familiar — as the hidden reason ambitious people stay stuck.
- The prefrontal cortex doesn't finish forming until age 25. Many early-career and relationship decisions get locked in on a brain that isn't done developing its problem-solving hardware — a reason to revisit defaults later.
- The external world is a mirror. What you admire in others is a latent quality in you; what you judge in others is a quality you haven't yet reconciled in yourself.
- Two foundational practices — simple enough that people don't do them. Five to ten minutes of mindfulness (watching the breath, letting thoughts pass) and gratitude journaling (three things that went well). Together they rewire the brain away from its default negativity bias.
- The four Brahma Viharas. Maitri (friendship toward all), karuna (compassion for suffering), mudita (rejoicing in others' happiness — the antidote to envy), upeksha (equanimity, the knowledge that everything passes).
- Self-awareness is the emerging frontier of corporate wellness. The big challenges Padmajaa sees in today's workforce aren't skill gaps — they are self-worth gaps. "Am I enough? Am I okay?" is the private question behind the visible performance anxiety, and no KPI dashboard addresses it.
In Padmajaa's Words
On what self-awareness actually is
Miracles are not occasional occurrences in your life. Every day is a series of miracles once we become self-aware.
The external world is nothing but a reflection of your internal states of being. What you judge is what is within you. What you admire is also a quality within you — which you need to bring out more.
Every time we settle down for something that is known, we are resigning ourselves to fate. And fate is always going to keep you suppressed in fear.
On challenges and the saboteur
Challenges are our friends in disguise. Instead of asking, "Why is this happening to me?", ask — what is this here to teach me? What am I not able to see right now that I need to start seeing?
The saboteur is the aspect of your consciousness that is afraid of achieving greatness — because when you achieve greatness, your world is going to change. And the saboteur says, it's okay, let it be.
On relationships
The trigger that makes you upset is not your partner. Their behaviour reminds you of something that has happened in your past, and so you pounce. Your partner is clueless — wondering what just happened.
On self-awareness at work
I worked with 3,000 young employees — 22 to 27, straight out of college. They were good at the work, but when it came to confidence, to pitching to international clients, they would say: "Are we good enough? Am I confident enough?" People on the verge of quitting turned into star performers once that shifted.
The biggest challenges the next generation will face won't be material. They will be mental health, self-worth, the question — am I enough? Am I going to be okay? Everybody is intelligent and capable, but that private doubt is what breaks people at work.
On the two practices
Asking your mind not to think is like asking your heart not to beat. Mindfulness isn't controlling the mind — it's allowing thoughts to come and go, and returning to your breath.
Start simple. Before bed, write three things that went well. Over time, you give your brain an instruction: I am focused on what's working. That's how you break the negativity bias.
About the Speaker
Padmajaa Iyer is a therapist motivated with a strong sense of purpose. She seeks to use her twenty plus years of experience in holistic therapy, coaching and personal healing to provide you with an intimate yet fresh approach to life; one that promises to open you to a readily available source of happiness, contentment and empathy.
Padmajaa is based out of Bangalore and is passionate about biking, golf, cooking, fitness and travelling. She has also been a restaurateur when she was a resident of the beautiful city of Dehradun before the moved to Bangalore in 2017. She was recently recognised as one of the 10 best Corporate wellness startups of 2023 by the Silicon India Start Up City Magazine.
Connect with her on Linkedin.
Show Notes
(01:04) Tell us about your wellness journey.
(10:05) What is self-awareness? How does self-awareness contribute to living a life of meaning and purpose?
(13:33) Do you think self-awareness contributes to living a more authentic and
genuine life?
(23:20) What are the types of self-awareness?
(27:00) What impact does self-awareness have on our ability to cultivate and maintain healthy relationships?
(34:22) Can self-awareness lead to a greater sense of purpose and fulfillment in our careers or professional pursuits?
(37:10) What are some practical strategies or exercises for cultivating self-awareness in daily life?
(43:26) Would you like to suggest any more valuable tips to our listeners?
