Do you find yourself wanting to make some healthy changes in your life?

Here's a technique that you can use right here right now. It's what I call the scanning exercise. Scanning is a really great way to start to become more self-aware.

Self-awareness is the key to any change that you want to make in your life.

Step 1 - Scan Your Body

First step is to scan your body. What's going on with your body? From the top of your head, all the way down to your toes, figure out what your body is telling you. Do you feel tension or tightnightness in your head? Or, tension in your neck, shoulders, lower back, or legs that you feel now that perhaps you hadn’t noticed before? This is your body's way of alerting you that something's going on internally.

Step 2 - Scan Your Thoughts

The next step is to scan your thoughts. What’s on your mind? What are you thinking about? Is it about work? Your family? The bills? Your health? Relationship? Pay particular attention to whether your thoughts are where your physical body is. Are you at work but your mind is focused on your relationship? Or at home with the kids but worrying about work? Whatever it is that you are thinking about will control your attitude, actions, and behavior.

Step 3 - Scan Your Emotions

The third step is to scan your emotions. Where are you feeling? With this step, it’s important that you label correctly. Use actual feeling words - angry, sad, frustrated, scared, lonely. Be specific.

Step 4 - Scan Your Behavior

And finally, the fourth step is to scan your behavior. This is your personal assessment of how you’ve shown up for yourself and with others. I like to ask myself ‘What is it that I can be proud of myself for in the last 24 hours? And then, ‘What is it that I can learn from in the last 24 hours to make this day better?’

All four steps can be done in only a few minutes, significantly improving your self-awareness and allowing you to show up as your best-self in all facets of your life!