Fast Company Now - Awareness

Fast Company Now: "7 Ways to Amplify Your Awareness

Awareness is a natural human ability and an essential catalyst for Personal Brilliance. When we combine it with the other three catalysts, curiosity, focus, and initiative, we can come up with innovative solutions in all areas of our lives.

1. Contemplate and Consider Different Perspectives
2. Practice Empathy
3. Look Closely at Processes
4. Peel Back the Layers
5. Pay Attention to Your Breathing
6. Look for Beautiful Designs
7. Look for Horrible Designs

1. Contemplate and Consider Different Perspectives
The more perspectives you consider, the more choices you will have for how to respond. But find a balance, neither clinging white-knuckled to your own views nor letting others define you and your behavior.

2. Practice Empathy
Put yourself in the other person's shoes. What were they thinking? Why did they do what they did? For practice, choose someone in an interesting situation and empathize with what they are experiencing.

3. Look Closely at Processes
Consider how and why things are done. Notice how obstacles are part of the process, not a negative to avoid.

4. Peel Back the Layers
When an event occurs, move your awareness beyond your initial reaction. Instead of 'Oh no--here comes another problem,' for example, consider what you fear. Forging new relationships? The loss of control? Changes to your routines? Having to be a novice again? Being specific shows ways you can have power over a situation.

5. Pay Attention to Your Breathing
It's difficult to be engaged in the past or future when focusing on our breathing.

6. Look for Beautiful Designs
Look around you for beautifully designed objects, no matter how small or specialized. Let these"