We’ve all heard of self-care and how important it is. By putting aside some ‘You Time’, be it with a glass of wine at night or a hike in the hills to unscramble your thoughts, you give yourself a much-needed break away from the chaos.
But what about self-awareness? Are you consciously taking in your thoughts and your feelings? Your decisions and your actions?
Probably not. Or at least, not as much as you should do.
And you’re not alone in this. We all forget to check in with ourselves. And even when we remember, it’s difficult to find a moment in the madness of day-to-day life.
But with some small changes, like learning a new skill or making time to clarify your values, you can start getting to know yourself better.
Try to acknowledge the good, the bad, and the ugly in your journey towards acceptance. And use these 57 self-awareness quotes to take those first steps as you embrace who you are in every sense.
Why Should You Spend Time Getting To Know Yourself Better?
Most of us give at least a quick glance in the mirror before heading out the door. And although we might not love every inch of our reflection, we find a readiness to face the world.
But what about facing ourselves? Who is that person staring back in the mirror?
It’s fair to say that most of us don’t really know ourselves, which, at first, may sound odd. But given that we’re prone to living on autopilot, simply going through the motions and never stepping back to take stock, it’s not really surprising.
Yes, we may spend our whole lives moving around from job to job and house to house, but it’s important to remember that we occupy just one body and mind.
When did you last ask yourself, “What do I really want? What’s going to make me really happy?” The likelihood is rarely, if at all.
Few of us make enough time for self-awareness. But by observing your thought patterns, emotions, and behaviors, you can get to know yourself better than anyone else ever could.
Commit to appreciating your strengths, some of which you may not have even noticed before, as well as overcoming weaknesses, such as difficulties in setting boundaries to protect yourself.
And over time, you’ll exchange self-loath for self-love, whilst improving your well-being with confidence and self-trust in your own judgments.
So let’s take a look at these 57 self-awareness quotes to know yourself better for a more fulfilled and happier you.
57 Self-Awareness Quotes to Know Yourself Better
- Look outside and you will see yourself. Look inside and you will find yourself.” – Drew Gerald
- “In our personal lives, if we do not develop our own self-awareness and become responsible for first creations, we empower other people and circumstances to shape our lives by default.” – Stephen Covey
- “Self-awareness is the ability to take an honest look at your life without any attachment to it being right or wrong, good or bad.” – Debbie Ford
- “Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” – Carl Jung
- “Self-awareness is not self-centeredness, and spirituality is not narcissism. ‘Know thyself' is not a narcissistic pursuit.” – Marianne Williamson
- “And you? When will you begin that long journey into yourself?” – Rumi
- “I am no bird, and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.” – Charlotte Brontë
- “It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles.” – Gautama Buddha
- “Self-awareness is not just relaxation and not just meditation. It must combine relaxation with activity and dynamism. Technology can aid that.” – Deepak Chopra
- “We must each lead a way of life with self-awareness and compassion, to do as much as we can. Then, whatever happens, we will have no regrets.” – Dalai Lama
- “Working together on solving something requires a high level of humility and a high level of self-awareness.” – Paul Polman
- “The surest way to lose sight of who you are is to constantly compare yourself to others.” – Tom Krause
- “We have self-centered minds which get us into plenty of trouble. If we do not come to understand the error in the way we think, our self-awareness, which is our greatest blessing, is also our downfall.” – Joko Beck
- “The most difficult thing in life is to know yourself.” – Thales
- “When I discover who I am, I’ll be free.” – Ralph Ellison
- “Self-awareness allows you to self-correct.” – Bill Hybels
- “If your emotional abilities aren't in hand, if you don't have self-awareness, if you are not able to manage your distressing emotions, if you can't have empathy and have effective relationships, then no matter how smart you are, you are not going to get very far.” – Daniel Goleman
- “The final mystery is oneself.” – Oscar Wilde
- “A workplace that encourages self-awareness is an environment where the most productive, curious, and innovative people thrive.” – Neil Blumenthal
- “It’s surprising how many persons go through life without ever recognizing that their feelings toward other people are largely determined by their feelings toward themselves, and if you’re not comfortable within yourself, you can’t be comfortable with others.” – Sydney J. Harris
- “To know yourself, you must sacrifice the illusion that you already do.” – Vironika Tugaleva
- “A man sooner or later discovers that he is the master-gardener of his soul, the director of his life.” – James Allen
- “What I am looking for is not out there, it is in me.” – Helen Keller
- “The mind’s first step to self-awareness must be through the body.” – George Sheehan
- “I firmly believe that what makes you sexy & beautiful is not the size of your body or the color lipstick you have on. What really makes you sexy is what you project – your confidence & your self-awareness.” – Kate Dillon Levin
- “Humility is not about having a low self-image or poor self-esteem. Humility is about self-awareness.” – Erwin Raphael McManus
- “As you become more clear about who you really are, you'll be better able to decide what is best for you, the first time around.” – Oprah Winfrey
- “People need to know that they have all the tools within themselves. Self-awareness, which means awareness of their body, awareness of their mental space, awareness of their relationships – not only with each other, but with life and the ecosystem.” – Deepak Chopra
- “You can't get away from yourself by moving from one place to another.” – Ernest Hemingway
- “Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.” – Carl Gustav Jung
- “Strong people have a strong sense of self-worth and self-awareness; they don’t need the approval of others.” – Roy T. Bennett
- “Self-awareness gives you the capacity to learn from your mistakes as well as your successes. It enables you to keep growing.” – Lawrence Bossidy
Self-awareness gives you the capacity to learn from your mistakes as well as your successes. It enables you to keep growing.” – Lawrence Bossidy
- “The most important conversations you’ll ever have are the ones you’ll have with yourself.” – David Goggins
- “You are your master. Only you have the master keys to open the inner locks.” – Amit Ray
- “I think self-awareness is probably the most important thing towards being a champion.” – Billie Jean King
- “The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.” – Michel de Montaigne
- “Just take this as a warning. Know that there's always a price for not being yourself.” – Benilde Little
- “I really explored self-awareness and emotions through ‘Green Lantern.' It might sound goofy, but I do believe that emotions have power. We're all driven by something, and most of that is emotional reaction. For me, it was about recognizing my self-awareness.” – Geoff Johns
- “Honest self-understanding liberates us from our stuck emotions.” – C. Terry Warner
- “At the center of your being, you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.” – Lao Tzu
- “Often, it’s not about becoming a new person, but becoming the person you were meant to be, and already are, but don’t know how to be.” – Heath L. Buckmaster
- “The only questions that really matter are the ones you ask yourself.” – Ursula K. Le Guin
- “As my awareness increases, my control over my own being increases.” – William Schutz
- “What self-acceptance does is open up more possibilities of succeeding because you aren’t fighting yourself along the way.” – Shannon Ables
- “You don’t need anybody to tell you who you are or what you are. You are what you are!” – John Lennon
- “You should wear what you want to wear and not worry about trying to paint yourself in a certain image because that self-awareness is what's going to help you become a more independent and more interesting and healthier adult.” – Alexandra Robbins
- “When we accept ourselves for what we are, we decrease our hunger for power or the acceptance of others because our self-intimacy reinforces our inner sense of security.” – Brennan Manning
- “Success comes from the inside out. In order to change what is on the outside, you must first change what is on the inside.” – Idowu Koyenikan
- “No amount of self-improvement can make up for any lack of self-acceptance.” – Robert Holden
- “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” – Carl Jung
- “Without self knowledge, without understanding the working and functions of his machine, man cannot be free, he cannot govern himself and he will always remain a slave.” – G.I. Gurdjieff
- “Write it on your heart you are the most beautiful soul of the Universe. Realize it, honor it and celebrate the life.” – Amit Ray
- “When you get into recovery, you have to relearn a lot of perceptions, attitudes, and self-awareness if you want to stay clean. You really do change.” – Shawn Colvin
- “Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it.” – Brene Brown
- “Self-awareness is only powerful when knowledge is understood and applied, only then can it manifest into true wisdom!” – Martin R. Lemieux
- “You’ve always been what you are. That’s not new. What you’ll get used to is knowing it.” – Cassandra Clare
- “Every human has four endowments – self awareness, conscience, independent will and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate human freedom… The power to choose, to respond, to change.” – Stephen Covey
Final Thoughts on Getting to Know Yourself Better
By practicing self-awareness, you will find the calm that comes with understanding your thoughts and decisions. Life will no longer feel like a rollercoaster, as you clearly define your wants and needs.
Look at the whole picture and remember, the longest relationship you will ever have is with yourself, so spending some time getting to know ‘You' makes sense.
Start with these 8 self love exercises and find ways to incorporate the things that make you happy into your life.
And if you want more inspirational quotes, be sure to check out these blog posts:
- 99 Paulo Coelho Quotes to Inspire, Uplift, and Make You Think
- 85 Joyce Meyer Quotes to Inspire Faith, Happiness, and Improved Relationships
- 75 Inspirational Sunrise Quotes and Captions for 2023
Finally, if you want to use these quotes to make a lasting change to your life, then check out and recite these 57 affirmations for success.
Rebel Jones has been writing from a young age. She first used poetry to organise words – the rhythm and flow brought peace to her chaos. But as she developed (both as a person and as a writer), she embraced her offbeat thought process and found her own style and tone. Writing is definitely her happy place and one that she’s happy to share with the world.
