I don't know what I don't know

This is my answer to a question I have been asking for a while.

Yes,

I have heard of journaling

Yes,

Meditation too.

And yes, there are other self reflective tools that are said to do this.

However, the connection that I made includes them all and is simply this.... 

By creating exposure through personal experience it would be like being the victim of rape or having a close friend or family member who was and that created an awareness of sexual assaults. 

Or being an intern at a company that has a net carbon zero target. You become immersed in the culture and become more aware of the impact your choices have on the environment.

Some other repeated exposure would be like; every day I am faced with the frailty of life through helping others at the pharmacy. It occurred to me over time that investing in improving and maintaining my own health would be a worthwhile pursuit. And slowly my habits started to follow this direction of thinking. I drink more water, exercise, adjusted my eating habits.

Either way whether by immersion or over a long time, exposure to the 'thing' creates an awareness of it. 

We all are aware of some things. It drives our actions in the direction we are going. The results we receive are a hint to what it is but not always the full story. 

Exposure that triggers emotion generates awareness. 

The 'thing' becomes remembered.

Which likely leads to changes in behavior.

What do you think?