Key definition

Self-awareness is the ability to:

Notice what is happening inside you, name it accurately, and understand how it influences your behaviour and affects your interactions with others
Identify and recognise your emotions, thoughts, values, principles and aspirations, strengths and weaknesses, reactions, instincts, and understand how they drive your behaviour and shape your interactions with others
Understand how the way people see you influences the way you act towards them, and more broadly how it shapes your general behaviour
And for the Christian, the ability to grasp the real depth of your need for God and the true state of your personal relationship with Him.

It is the difference between:

exclaiming, “That’s just how I am.”

and

stating, “I felt disrespected, I recognised my pride was triggered, and I chose to respond sharply.”

Self-awareness allows you to clearly see your behaviour, understand what’s driving it, and decide to adjust, correct, or change it.

It prevents impulse, insecurity, or assumption from unknowingly controlling your life.