Self-Awareness Examples For Personal Growth When You Have Autism

For people with autism, many seemingly odd behaviors such as stimming, eye contact avoidance, or social faux pas can unintentionally draw negative attention.

While these behaviors are often unconscious coping mechanisms, it’s understandable why a person with autism may feel embarrassed or want to curb or mask them in public settings.

Learning to identify self-awareness examples can help with personal growth.Self-awareness examples and becoming aware of these and similar behaviors can help an autistic individual understand reactions from others. With time and compassion, you can develop skills to feel more comfortable in social situations.

While knowing how and when certain actions or behaviors can create unwanted attention can be a difficult thing to master for some people with autism, it can be beneficial for building relationships.

After all, you don’t need to be neurodiverse to unwittingly embarrass yourself in front of a large group of people; it’s something most of us do at certain times in our lives.

Don’t feel bad if you struggle with not recognizing potentially embarrassing self-awareness examples. 

It’s more common than you might think and may even be alexithymia (emotional blindness). Considering and trying to recognize behaviors that may be awkward for others serves as positive self-assurances that you are taking steps to be the best you can be while remaining your authentic self.

Working to minimize social awkwardness can help with making and keeping friends, and some individuals don’t work on self-improvement because they don’t realize they may be standing out in a strange way or may not simply care.

Take pride in that you’re trying to improve yourself through personal growth; that alone makes you a better person. Beginning the self-care process by understanding self-awareness examples can assist you with becoming the best version of yourself!

Self-Awareness Examples: What Are Stimming Behaviors?

Stimming refers to self-stimulating behaviors that provide sensory input. Common stims include hand flapping, rocking back and forth, vocal tics like grunting or repeating words, snapping fingers, chewing objects, spinning in circles, and more.

These repetitive actions stimulate the senses, often in a calming manner. Stimming is a proven stress buster that helps regulate emotions and manage sensory overload, a common occurrence in autism when environmental stimuli become too intense to process.

Some stims like occasional fingernail biting or bouncing a leg are socially acceptable. Others draw more attention and may be misinterpreted, such as incessant skin picking or loudly repeating words or phrases.

People who don’t understand autism may think unusual stims are a sign of boredom, anxiety, or even rudeness. Of course, that’s not the case – stims are involuntary coping mechanisms. But it’s reasonable to want to avoid reactions from those who don’t grasp that.

With self-awareness, you can stimulate yourself in subtle ways that provides appropriate calming while avoiding unwanted attention.

Self-Awareness Examples:  Why Practice Them?

Self-awareness means understanding your behaviors, thoughts, emotions, and motivations. For people with autism, building this skill can help with these self-awareness examples:

  • Recognize when you are strongly stimming or saying/doing something socially inappropriate
  • Minimize behaviors that draw negative reactions in public
  • Stimulate yourself in more subtle, socially acceptable ways
  • Manage anxiety and overwhelming thoughts by recognizing your limits
  • Improve social skills through understanding others’ perspective
  • Feel more confident and in control in social situations

The goal isn’t to mask your autism or suppress stims entirely. Self-awareness is about managing behaviors thoughtfully to avoid social blunders and related anxiety.

With practice, these skills can help you navigate social situations with greater ease and confidence.

8 Tips for Building Self-Awareness Examples

Building self-awareness requires time, effort, and compassion. Don’t get frustrated with yourself. Any progress is good, even if you take steps backward some days.

Here are 8 constructive ways to develop stronger self-awareness:

  1. Observe Your Behaviors
    Carry a small notebook or set reminders on your phone to stop throughout the day and jot down behaviors you notice yourself engaging in, especially stims.

    Don’t judge yourself – just write down what you observe objectively. This helps you recognize patterns.

  1.  Ask Someone You Trust for Feedback
    Asking a friend for feedback can help you navigate and overcome social missteps.Politely request that a close friend or family member point out any stims or social missteps they notice, so you can build awareness. Make sure they understand you won’t be offended – you’re asking them to help you learn.
  1. Notice Physical Sensations
    Anxiety and sensory overload often manifest physically before stims occur. Learn your signals like tightness in the chest, fluttering stomach, and tingling hands. Paying attention helps you anticipate and manage behaviors.
  2. Carry a Fidget Item
    Keep a fidget toy, stress ball, clay, or other tactile object with you. When you feel like stimming, redirect the impulse to a subtle outlet. Fiddle with the item quietly instead.
  3. Take Time Out
    If you feel overwhelmed in a social situation, step away briefly. Politely excuse yourself, take some deep breaths, stim in private if needed, and rejoin when ready.
  4. Reflect After Socializing
    After interacting with others, review the experience in your mind. Were there any stims you engaged in unconsciously? Could you have managed situations differently? What went well?
  5. Celebrate Successes
    Note each small success, whether you caught yourself starting to stim and redirected the urge, or took a break when needed. Track milestones and give yourself credit.
  6. See a Behavioral Therapist
    A qualified professional can assess your challenges and strengths to help design a self-awareness training program with strategies tailored to your needs.

6 Tips for Managing Specific Challenges for Personal Growth

Here are tips to recognize these self-awareness examples and react and respond appropriately to 6 common autism-related behaviors:

  1. Hand Flapping and Other Obvious Stims – Carry a fidget in public settings to redirect urges discreetly. Stim more openly in safe, private places.
  2. Vocal Tics – Wear noise-canceling headphones and listen to music/sounds if verbal stims are involuntary. For avoidable vocalizations, bite your lip or clench your jaw to restrain impulses.
  3. Skin Picking – Keep hands busy with worry stones, clay, or other tactile toys that won’t damage the skin. Use bandages or gloves to cover picking-prone areas.
  4. Inappropriate Conversations – Before replying out loud, pause and ask yourself if your response aligns with social norms. If unsure, say you need to think about it.
  5. Sensory Overload – Notice physical signs you’re getting overwhelmed. Carry sunglasses, earplugs, ball caps, or other tools to quickly minimize stimuli.
  6. Anxiety and Meltdowns – Learn and respect your limits. There’s no shame in leaving a situation if it becomes unbearable. Stimming is understandable if you need to self-regulate. 

Self-Awareness Examples and Dealing with Judgment from Others

Unfortunately, many people are still judgmental towards autistic behaviors, even if they are unintentional. You may sometimes face stigma, misunderstanding, or criticism for stimming or social missteps in public. While unfair, don’t let it discourage you.

There are compassionate ways to respond:

  • If comfortable, politely explain that you are autistic and your behaviors are involuntary but harmless. Most people will become more understanding if given some context.
  • If someone reacts particularly negatively, don’t engage. Remind yourself that their judgment says more about them than you.
  • Consider carrying a card explaining that you have autism in case you need to clarify behaviors to strangers.
  • Surround yourself with accepting friends who “get it” and don’t pass judgment on your coping mechanisms.
  • Speak out against misconceptions and prejudice toward autism when you feel comfortable. You have a right to stimulate and occupy space just like anyone.

Advocate for more widespread autism acceptance through writing, speaking out on social media, supporting advocacy groups, and setting a positive example.

The more visibility autistic people have, the more understanding there will be.

Self-Awareness Examples:  Overcoming Social Anxiety

Many autistic people experience social anxiety related to managing behaviors in public or navigating tricky social cues and norms. Here are some ways to reduce anxiety:

  • Challenge negative thought patterns when they arise. Remind yourself you have a right to be in any public space.
  • Start small by practicing self-awareness skills in safe settings like home before venturing out more publicly.
  • Bring a supportive friend along to social events at first for reassurance.
  • Carry an object that brings comfort, like a stuffed animal, smooth stone, or familiar photo.
  • Introduce yourself to new people right away so they engage with you as an individual, not just your behaviors.
  • After social gatherings, write down or talk through what went well so you can recall successes.
  • If specific situations like parties or crowded venues make you very anxious, acknowledge your limits and avoid or excuse yourself when needed. Don’t force yourself into intolerable discomfort.

With compassionate inner dialogue, coping tools, and exposure therapy, social anxiety can be overcome. Autism should never preclude you from social opportunities.

Self-Awareness Examples:  When to Seek Professional Support for Personal Growth

Self-guided efforts to build self-awareness and personal growth are wonderful, but professionals can help take these skills to the next level. Seek support from a therapist, counselor, job coach, or autism specialist if:

  • You need help identifying triggers and developing customized coping strategies.
  • Certain behaviors feel uncontrollable despite your best efforts.
  • Anxiety about managing behaviors severely limits your social life.
  • You experience depression, emotional meltdowns, or talk of self-harm related to social difficulties.
  • Ongoing bullying, stigma, or isolation makes self-acceptance a struggle.

With the right professional help, you can learn to navigate the social world, stim freely, and be your best self—authentically. Don’t hesitate to ask for assistance. You deserve to live fully and happily. Self-awareness examples such as when you make others uncomfortable can be helped with journaling.

Self-awareness offers incredible benefits but requires regular practice and self-compassion. Stay patient on bad days and celebrate victories when they come. With time, the consciousness of your behaviors and skillful responses will feel natural.

You will stim freely yet thoughtfully. Focus on self-love, speaking your truth, and surrounding yourself with supportive communities. Be proud to move through the world as your authentic, wonderfully stimulating self!

Developing self-awareness takes diligence, but the payoff in social confidence and self-control is immense. Be patient and celebrate small victories.

With time, you’ll learn to move through the world with greater ease, stimming when appropriate and minimizing behaviors that draw negative scrutiny.

Remember, the goal is not to mask your authentic self, but to thoughtfully manage behaviors by being aware of self-awareness examples so you can feel socially comfortable while remaining true to your experience. You’ve got this!

Other Common Autistic Behaviors

There are many behaviors associated with having autism. Keep in mind that everyone presents differently, which is why it is caused a spectrum disorder. However, there are common autism behaviors. Learn more about them. 

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Picture of Connor McClure

Connor McClure

I'm a young adult navigating life with autism. By sharing my experiences and views, I hope to create a better awareness, understanding, and compassion for those on the spectrum. Let's connect!
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