Increasing intrapersonal intelligence, or knowledge of yourself, can have a positive effect on virtually every area of your life, including relationships with others, career, and physical and mental health. Whether your goal is to improve the quality of your life through intrapersonal intelligence, or just feel more comfortable in your own skin, there are steps you can take toward increasing your self-awareness and understanding the motivations behind your own thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Taking a personality test, keeping a journal, and just being honest with yourself can increase your intrapersonal intelligence and better equip you to deal with life’s challenges.
One of the most well-known personality tests is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI.) Available online for free, this test poses a series of multiple-choice questions designed to test your preferences and natural inclinations. The test then extrapolates certain personality traits based on your answers, such as whether you are extroverted or introverted, prone to judging or perceiving, and more. Whether or not you agree with the results of the test, the process of introspection required to answer its questions can lead to personal discoveries regarding your own motivations and behaviors.
Keeping a journal or diary is another great way to exercise introspection and promote intrapersonal intelligence. While the process of writing down your thoughts and feelings can be cathartic in itself, it’s the process of reading your entries and reflecting on the thoughts you chose to write down which can allow the biggest opportunity for self-reflection. Although many people have turned to blogs in the digital age as a means of journaling, writing in such a public forum is likely to increase your inhibitions and therefore not as conducive to true self-reflection.
Social etiquette can sometimes condition people to suppress their true feelings in the interest of politeness. While most people would agree that politeness is a good thing, the habit of suppressing or even denying one’s feelings is counterproductive to increasing intrapersonal intelligence. Being honest with yourself about your feelings and opinions can help you connect the choices you make to your true motivations, which is ultimately the most valuable part of intrapersonal intelligence.