Navigating Self-Awareness in the Workplace: Turning Insight into Strength
Chrissie Zavicar
Co-Founder of Stack Brands. Co-Creator of Lions Nation Unite. Executive with Team 84 LLC. Brand strategist, content creator, storyteller.
Have you ever found yourself in a workplace situation where your response felt more reactive than intentional?
Whether you were caught off guard or understood exactly why it happened, the important thing is recognizing the impact and finding a productive way forward.
Why does that happen?
Let's say betrayal is a recurring theme in your life.
It's legitimate - you have experiences you've dealt with since childhood that you are legitimately working to grow from. The majority of the time, you feel great at work. You generally like your job and the people you work with.?
Then one day, your boss calls you into their office and tells you that you are being taken off a project you've been working on for months. No reason is given. You are expected to receive and accept the news and move on.
Your boss has the authority to make this decision without explanation, and it may not be a reflection of your performance.
Professional resilience comes from recognizing that not every workplace decision is personal and focusing instead on how to adapt and move forward effectively.
Because this situation mirrors past experiences of betrayal, your response is driven by emotions tied to those past events, making it feel as though the betrayal is happening in real-time within the workplace.
Of course, your boss isn’t aware of the deeper emotions at play. From their perspective, the reaction may seem disproportionate to the situation.
Once you finally calm down, you are left with the reality of what transpired, completely aware of the way your behavior came across?... and you are mortified.?
Self Aware People Acutely Feel This Inner Struggle
Recognizing emotional triggers in the workplace is a skill that takes time to develop.
When self-aware professionals experience a strong reaction to a situation, it can be challenging to separate past experiences from present circumstances. Learning how to regulate these emotions effectively is key to maintaining composure and professionalism.
Awareness is the first step between bridging past experiences to present interactions and learning how to regulate responses effectively.
During that learning process, however, rumination and anxiety can abound.
Let's revisit our previous example:
You know you messed up.
You apologize to your boss, who accepts, but their body language remains tense. This subtle shift in their demeanor fuels your overthinking cycle, making you question the long-term impact of your reaction and whether it has affected their perception of you.
You leave for the day and can't stop thinking about the way you acted and your belief that your boss is now upset with you.?
The self-aware person understands why this is happening, but this awareness can sometimes lead to frustration and self-doubt.
The key is recognizing growth as an ongoing process and using each experience as an opportunity to refine responses and strengthen professional resilience.?
Focus on leveraging self-awareness as a professional strength. By cultivating adaptability self-aware professionals can turn their depth of reflection into an asset in the workplace.?
Engagement Strategies for the Self Aware
1. Protect Yourself and Others with Healthy Boundaries
One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was to pause.
In high-pressure situations, especially when emotions are involved, taking even a brief moment to process before responding can make all the difference. It allows for clarity, prevents reactive decision-making, and reinforces a sense of control over how we engage in difficult conversations.
Practice taking that moment.
Maybe you receive an email that immediately results in that leaping sensation in your stomach. You feel attacked. Instead of impulsively rattling off a response, confirm receipt of the email and that you will take time to process before responding.
"Thank you for your email. I will provide a response by tomorrow morning."
In the midst of a heated or intense conversation, one pause can be the difference in saying something you'll immediately regret. If you recognize you can't continue the conversation without being emotionally charged, take a break.
"Can you give me some time to think this over and we can revisit tomorrow?"
This approach helps you regain composure, respond thoughtfully, and build confidence in your ability to navigate challenging conversations with professionalism.
With each healthy interaction, you strengthen your professional confidence and reinforce your ability to navigate workplace dynamics with resilience and self-assurance.
2. Commit to Building Yourself Up
We all know those people who embrace their quirks and own their challenges, coming across as both self-aware and confident.
This isn't an inherent trait, but it's a skill that can be cultivated. By leaning into self-awareness, acknowledging personal growth, and developing emotional resilience, you can build the same level of confidence and command respect in your professional life.
Self-aware people are already “doing the work,” but there are other things they can do to increase workplace confidence:
3. Practice Patience and Grace
Growth doesn’t happen overnight. The process of building self-awareness and resilience in the workplace takes time, experience, and intentional effort. Over time, these small, deliberate actions contribute to long-term career development and professional success.
Be patient. Offer grace to yourself. Practice self-compassion.
“Self-compassion involves treating yourself the way you would treat a friend who is having a hard time – even if your friend blew it or is feeling inadequate, or is just facing a tough life challenge.” - The Transformative Effects of Mindful Self Compassion
So often we extend more patience and grace toward loved ones than we do to ourselves. What if, in a moment of difficulty at the office, you spoke to yourself as you would speak to a friend or one of your colleagues?
“When you catch yourself thinking ‘I am a failure,’ consider reframing the thought in a more compassionate way, such as, ‘I made a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes. This one situation does not define me,’” - The Benefits of Self-Compassion
The Bottom Line
Your self-awareness and growth are not measured by external validation. While external recognition can be rewarding, true professional success comes from internal progress.
A leader who understands their triggers and manages their reactions effectively, for example, can build stronger relationships and foster trust within their team. Over time, this level of awareness contributes to better decision-making, clearer communication, and professional success.
The real impact comes from how you apply your insights, refine your responses, and navigate professional challenges with confidence.
About First and Sober
First and Sober is about showing up with clarity, resilience, and presence. Healing doesn’t stop when we clock in. Work can trigger past wounds, test our self-awareness, and challenge our growth. Here, we focus on navigating professional spaces with emotional intelligence, intentionality, and confidence.