An Unexpected Side Effect of Heightened Self-Awareness

It’s now been almost nine months since I began practicing yoga, and the benefits I’ve welcomed to my life have been pretty amazing. While I’ve certainly improved my physical state (my pants are a lot looser these days), there’s also been a very noticeable shift in my overall self-awareness.

However, there has been an unexpected side effect of this new-found ability to “see” inside myself with greater clarity that has been baffling me lately.

The clarity I’m talking about has “ratcheted up” my passions and beliefs, and therein lies the problem – it’s also ratcheted up my reactions to things presented to me that are contrary to those passions and beliefs, sometimes to the point of (quite) unappealing stridency, along with a strong dose of frustration.

This escalation and its unexpected duality, while on the one hand good for the soul and self-confidence, has on the other presented me with yet another an interesting test of my mettle as a person.

It’s given me an excellent opportunity to re-examine how I interact with people, especially those I may disagree with. My improved self awareness turns out to be a benefit in this process, because I now have a better ability to slow down and dissect interactions as they are actually happening.

So with self improvement comes a need for a rebalancing of sorts. A strong need to keep and cherish what I’ve gained over the past 9 months, but just as strong of a need to harness and use it properly. To keep an open mind. To keep listening. To keep learning and adapting. To absorb, process, and then respond - with understanding, compassion, empathy and wisdom.

With enlightenment comes responsibility – what a valuable lesson I’m learning.

And passing on.

Thanks for listening.