What is self-awareness?
By Amanda Morin
Expert reviewed by Bob Cunningham, EdM
At a glance
Self-awareness is the ability to tune in to your feelings, thoughts, and actions.
Being self-aware also means being able to recognize how other people see you.
People who are self-aware recognize their strengths and their challenges.
You might hear people talk about self-awareness as an important skill — not just for kids, but for adults, too. Self-awareness is the ability to tune in to your own feelings, thoughts, and actions.
When people are self-aware, they understand their strengths and challenges and know what helps them thrive. They also understand that how they see themselves may be different from how others see them.
People with strong self-awareness skills can:
- Recognize their strengths and challenges
- Understand and talk about their needs and feelings
- Recognize other people’s needs and feelings
- See how their behavior affects others
- Develop a growth mindset and learn from their mistakes
When people understand themselves better, it’s easier for them to build positive self-esteem. That's especially important for people who learn and think differently and who struggle with certain skills and tasks.
Self-awareness gives them a way to look not just at their challenges, but also to see what they’re good at.
Types of self-awareness
Self-monitoring and self-advocacy
How to help develop self-awareness
About the author
About the author
Amanda Morin is the author of “The Everything Parent’s Guide to Special Education” and the former director of thought leadership at Understood. As an expert and writer, she helped build Understood from its earliest days.
Reviewed by
Reviewed by
Bob Cunningham, EdM has been part of the Understood team since its founding. He has also been the chief administrator for several independent schools and a school leader in both general and special education.
