The Difference Between Self-Consciousness and Self-Awareness
How one leads to the other.
As I’m not a native speaker, it took me a while to realize that “self-conscious” isn’t the same as “self-aware” in the English language. But why? After all, “consciousness” and “awareness” are close synonyms when they stand on their own.
According to Google:
self-consciousness
noun
undue awareness of oneself, one’s appearance, or one’s actions.
self-awareness
noun
conscious knowledge of one’s own character and feelings.
From the first glance at these definitions, it seems like “self-awareness” is a more accurate, while “self-consciousness” — an exaggerated perception of self. But are they really all that different?
On my personal growth journey, I have encountered both states: self-consciousness and self-awareness. After all, the core of what I am doing is trying to strengthen my connection to the present moment. That’s the pursuit of self-awareness: becoming more aware of what is happening in my mind, body and heart at any given point.
I have already experienced this ability to be helpful in how I relate to the world…
