Human beings are social beings, and we thrive in social structures. We cannot live in  isolation and therefore, our most indispensable skill is social awareness. Social  awareness can be defined as having knowledge about your surroundings and being  able to understand the world around you. It is 2023, and being socially aware is the  foundation of the ‘Woke’ culture we are currently following. This culture enables us to be  aware of our environment beyond the good parts. It emphasizes being informed on  issues that need to be addressed and things we need to change to be better individuals.  Due to technological advancements and with the advent of social media, our scope to  know more about our extension i.e., our community, our nation and the world has  widened.  

We are all the protagonists of our stories. Being Socially Aware allows us to direct our  attention beyond ourselves as main characters and contemplate a situation that may not  affect us. This offers us a chance to be less centered about ourselves and think about  the greater universe. Often, we may find ourselves consumed in thoughts about our  own problems which we tend to magnify and dissociate from others. This can make us  lonely. Therefore, when we are taking an active approach to learn more about others,  we are also cultivating relations. For example, you may be going through a tough time in  your life. And you find out that your friend is facing a similar situation. Now, if you are  socially unaware, you would likely steer the conversation towards your issue and how it  affected you. However, if you are socially aware, you would capitalize on this  opportunity to find out more about your friend. Also, you can relate better to your friend’s  situation as you have shared similar experiences. This simple act can help foster  relations.  

Social Awareness as discussed is a skill and needs to be developed through some  behavioral adaptations.  

1. Reading the room – You can be certain you are quite socially skilled if you can  read a room accurately. This may mean being able to pick up on social cues,  understand the emotions flowing and the possible reason behind them. 

2. Active Listening – We may argue that we listen yet, we are often blamed for not  doing it properly. The truth may be a sheer line between listening and hearing. To  enhance your social skills, you need to listen with rapt attention and pay attention  to details.  

3. Vicarious Learning – Learning about the world and culture that you can’t visit  personally through modes of books, movies or tales can be a rich source of  information.  

4. Socialization – Socialization itself is a great way to boost skill. Being recluse and  reticent doesn’t earn you knowledge or friends. Sometimes, if you want to 

sharpen your social skills, blending with people from all backgrounds can help  you learn the differences that make us all unique. 

5. Respecting differences – An important aftermath of learning about differences is  acceptance. You might notice plenty of ways you may be different than others,  but the key to a strong bond is knowing how to respect them for these  differences.  

The outcome of being socially aware is developing empathy. Being empathetic is being  able to understand another person’s situation as if it were happening to you. Empathy is  distributed in abundance, yet we believe it to be rare as it is very difficult to achieve it.  Someone who is empathetic doesn’t get angry often during fights. This is not because  they are always happy but because they understand the reason that ensued the conflict.  Empathy helps deal with conflict and preserve relationships. While Social Awareness  only focuses on being informed of our surroundings, empathy fosters ways to manage  the situations we are aware of most effectively. 

Shrija Bose 

Psychologist (US Team Leader & Trainer) 

The Mind Sync Kids