Self-Awareness: A Lesson from Ethics Class

Not long ago, my nine-year-old daughter had a habit of telling little lies. Therefore, I decided to enroll her in an ethics class, hoping it would help her understand the difference between right and wrong. After her first class, she came home excitedly saying, “Oh my God, the lesson was all about lying! I really get it now, and I don’t think I’ll lie again.”

However, a few days later, she mentioned something surprisingly: “Dad, I think I’m lying more now.” She seemed puzzled.

What actually happened was that her self-awareness had grown.

Imagine if I asked you, “Do you know how many yellow cars are on the street?” You might say, “I don’t know.” But then I encourage you to pay attention and start counting them. Over time, you’d notice more and more yellow cars.

Physic scientist Thomas Young called this “the observer effect” around 200 years ago. This means when we focus on something, we become more aware of it.

So, the ethics class didn’t cause her to lie more, it made her more self-aware of her actions. Self-awareness helps you understand your strengths and weaknesses of yourself, making it easier to identify areas for improvement. This is a key element of a growth mindset.

I love seeing her at this stage of life growing self-awareness. It’s important to be mindful of every action, whether it’s about honesty, stress, calmness, or any other aspect of our behaviour.