by: Stephanie Gonzalez, CEO & Managing Partner photo by: Stephanie Ringleb Photography Change starts with awareness. But, awareness is only useful to us if it is paired with action… Three years ago, I made a conscious decision to take a different approach with my self-awareness. Although I have always had a desire to be aware – of myself, others and my surroundings – I must admit my awareness was moved to a new level because of something that Josh, my husband, said to me. Three years ago Josh – with vulnerability, candor, and courage – painted a picture of who I was at home, as a wife and as a Mom. Some of the pictures he described felt true, good and accurate but some of what he described was far away from what I would have hoped. That conversation was the start of an awakening for me. I am thankful for his truth and partnership. One short conversation (albeit from one of the most important people in my life) moved me to be awake, aware and want to take action in a different way. I began to be aware and audit myself in a new way. By audit myself I mean that I literally found myself watching the daily movie reel of my life. There is a slight, but important, distinction between self-awareness and self-auditing. Self-awareness is being aware of your own character, motives and desires; its subjective. Conducting a self-audit is a systematic and documented process to review oneself; its objective. Auditing oneself enables you to be yourself and see yourself all at the same time. Let me give you an example… I recently noticed that I regularly clench my fists. Throughout my week as I walk, talk, cross my arms, sit, meditate and lie in bed…both of my hands are tightly wound fist-balls. Until recently, I never realized how intensely my physical body carried an expression of my emotional and mental state. Over the past few months I have actively worked to stop clenching my fists, and more importantly, keep my palms open. Throughout my day I watch my body language and check-in with my tight fists. Throughout the day I remind myself and tell myself to keep my “palms open.” When I meditate, I sit on the ground and lay my open palms on my crossed knees. When I go to bed at night, I take a deep breath and open my palms. I have written in my journal “palms open.” On top of releasing tightness and tension, I love the metaphor of my palms being open! I am in-the-moment actively shifting my present state from being tight, tense and closed….to being calm, opportunistic, and open.