The Awareness Wheel is a map to help you become more aware of yourself - what you are experiencing at any point in time.  It contains five “zones”: sensing, thinking , feeling, wanting and doing.   Each part contains important information about yourself.  All five parts are distinct yet interact with each other.  All five are ever present in your experience even though you may not be aware of them.  The concept was introduced in a book “Straight Talk” by Miller, Wackman, Nunnally and Saline.

The more aware I am of what I’m sensing, my thoughts, feelings and wants, the more choices I have in interactions and decisions - I become less reactive.

For example: When I raise my voice and say “I’m not Mad!!”, I’m probably in a reactive mode, unaware of my anger.  Had I been aware of my anger, I may have chosen to say , “I’m feeling very angry right now....”.  At that point I would be congruent with my feelings and behavior.

Each person’s Awareness Wheel is different.  In some, the Thinking zone may be larger then the Feeling or Wanting zones or vice-versa.  Once we become aware of our strengths and deficiencies, we can begin developing the areas where we are least aware to free us up to make better choices.  So the key point is, awareness equals choice and unawareness = reactivity.  The skill is being aware of my internal state and being able to speak for myself and say I think, I feel and I want.  Too often we say, “You know when your feeling upset you...” instead of saying, “When I feel upset I .....”.  When I own my own awareness, I am much clearer and better understood.

Reference:

Straight Talk, Miller, P and Miller S., Signet Books, N.Y., 1991

LIOS, The Leadership Institute of Seattle, founded by Bob Crosby in 1969

5. Awareness Wheel (8:27)