Those who wish to be more present, empathetic, and emotionally healthy must have awareness. It’s two-fold. You need to have self-awareness and be able to be perceptive to others. Both are hard to accomplish. It starts by creating a goal of awareness.

This evolution of awareness into action correlates with living in the in-between. The in-between represents all the micro-moments of life. It’s everything that isn’t milestones or reaching the finish line of goals. The connection between awareness and the in-between is strong, and I chronicled my journey to this in my book The In-Between: Life in the Micro.

Awareness into Action: Before the In-Between

I once prioritized the macro and gave little attention to the micro. In some ways, this was a form of awareness into action. This mindset helped me define my goals and achieve them. However, the journey to accomplishment was just something I had to get through. I didn’t believe it had much value in the big picture.

Applying awareness into action to the small moments felt uncomfortable. I struggled with this, as I didn’t want to leave my bubble state. This was an environment I created to keep myself “safe” from feelings and emotions. It felt too risky to leave its comfort.

The Micro: Translating Awareness into Action

I did eventually abandon the bubble state. I realized that awareness was the driver to finding peace and joy in the micro. I had to recognize a situation and the interactions to then set an intention of action.

Awareness and intention go hand in hand. We have to “zoom” out from ourselves to find this synergy. Much of the awareness I’ve earned came from a lot of trial and error. Awareness and intentions form a loop. Sometimes, awareness helps us set the intention. Other times, we set new intentions based on new awareness.

This interchange is critical when circumstances change. We can approach any scenario with awareness and intention, but the unexpected is always a possibility. So, we have to be adaptable.

Awareness and intention are essential in formulating the action we should take in a situation. It’s a general way of being in touch with the world. They work together to adjust the focus, no matter the environment.

What we get from this is actionable awareness.

Actionable Awareness

How do we put awareness into action in the in-between? It’s something that requires patience, which I’m still working on. Although, I know now I can face any situation, even if it’s chaotic and toxic. I check in with myself, observing my thoughts and feelings. Sometimes, an action changes these and shifts my perspective.

In these moments, I also accept that the action may be hard. If I just take the same action without tapping into awareness, the results will be the same.

When cultivating actionable awareness, remember to:

  • Consider your emotions and how they influence the actions you take or don’t take.
  • Remind yourself that taking action delivers valuable feedback.
  • Listen to your gut that tells you to act and do it.

You’ll find more stories about translating awareness into action in my book.