Wanting More out of Life? Start with Awareness

In terms of personal growth and development, the name of the game is Awareness.  Awareness is the point at which taking care of ourselves begins.  Awareness is the point at which we want something more or want something different and we seek change.  Awareness is the beginning step for all counseling, coaching or any growth or healing journey.  Awareness can be activated through indicators or signs or activities.  Awareness is a wakefulness that offers each of us a chance to engage something even when we do not totally understand what that something is.  But, before we can engage, it is important that we are paying attention.

Here are a few ideas and place to start.  Have I simply fallen prey to existing?  Existence involves survival and our natural reactionary responses.  People who are existing lead and develop their lives through patterns of habit, or turning a blind eye, or disconnecting, or assuming or following.  Each of these stances is less of paying attention and more of avoidance, protection or escapism.  To live a life of less regret and more abundance, we must pay attention.

What is it to pay attention?  Paying attention is embracing the richness and flavor of life and knowing living is beyond simply existing.  Paying attention removes the idea of “I can’t be bothered” and instead accepts I may need to be disturbed, unfamiliar and uncomfortable in life.  Why?  “That’s life!”  Paying attention involves observation and witnessing.  Paying attention means I open myself up to activities that bring awareness to the entirety of life.  This paying attention includes looking at what challenges me, gazing at my bias, thinking about my agendas and how I relate with people.  Paying attention provides a propensity to ponder, then offers a place of engagement and exploration, which can lead into profound challenges if we choose to take on what intrudes on our familiarities and ease.

What happens if you have been paying attention and you want to continue on, but even the thought of explaining your experience is terrifying?  Activities For Awareness was developed for you.   Activities For Awareness are restorative, simple techniques that include drawing and images to kindle awareness.  These activities promote clarity through reflective dialogue, paraphrasing or identification of similarities and differences that may not otherwise be noticed.  Activities For Awareness are designed to discover trailheads for counseling and open up pathways toward healing that likely or may have been bypassed, closed or ignored.  Our experiences of traumatic ordeals, significant encounters, or loss tend to activate a protective mechanism within us which can influence us when we address deeper personal issues.  Activities For Awareness are not about artistry or perfection, but instead these activities are used with images, description and metaphors to deepen the counseling process in a time saving, less stressful and efficient manner.  Activities for Awareness are interventions and techniques that are tried and true, but uses them in an innovating and restorative way where the client is the expert.

Paying attention is important.  It takes time to be present, look around, and watch.  Paying attention often takes us out of our comfort zone.  Paying attention can lead us to profound challenges.  Paying attention is a trailhead.  Awareness is the game changer.  Let Activities For Awareness help moderate your work and temper the impact without lessening your journey.