The world continues to grow as populations and cultures evolve. Though our planet is vast, advancements in technology, communication and travel have brought us closer together geographically and culturally. With so many opportunities to engage with women and men from every walk of life, cultural awareness matters more than ever.

Culture not only defines who we are, but it also influences the ways we interact with our world. By becoming more culturally aware in our daily lives, we can enjoy more meaningful interactions with others while strengthening our sense of self.

WHAT IS CULTURAL AWARENESS?

To become culturally aware — and, ideally, culturally competent — an individual must first define cultural awareness. There are varying definitions of cultural awareness that may change depending on the context. For example, a company may define cultural awareness in product design or patron interactions slightly differently than a principal may define cultural awareness in engagements between teachers and students.

One way we can broadly define cultural awareness includes, "Possessing the conscious ability to observe the similarities and differences within and between cultural groups." Another way we can define it is that those who are culturally aware are able to recognize the ways their culture influences their values, beliefs and judgments. Cultural awareness also encompasses:

· Understanding intracultural variations

· Understanding how culture is acquired

· Seeking ways to have meaningful interactions with those of another culture

Why is it important to learn about your culture? To understand and accept cultures that are drastically different than your own, you must be able to identify the elements of your own culture that appear unique in another's perspective. Your personal cultural awareness matters just as much as learning how to develop cultural awareness externally.

10 REASONS WHY CULTURAL AWARENESS MATTERS

Regardless of how many cultures make up the social mosaic of our communities, it's important that we all continue to enhance our cultural awareness. Cultural awareness matters for a myriad of reasons that impact nearly every aspect of our society — including succeeding in our careers, navigating everyday interactions and communicating effectively and empathetically with others. The following illustrates 10 reasons to pursue cultural awareness.

1. Culture Is Our Past, Present and Future

Culture is tied to the history of humanity, and it will continue to be a defining hallmark. Culture drives our growth as a species, and cultural awareness has helped small groups of people evolve into a society blossoming with diversity. To continue fostering existing cultures and cultivating new subcultures, we must prioritize the importance of widespread cultural awareness.

2. Most Societies Increasingly Reflect Diverse Cultures

When many people take a look around, they see multiple cultures represented in their school, job or community. For every person who celebrates their cultural heritage in easily identifiable ways, there are many more who champion their cultures less publicly. As cultures and subcultures grow within a population, societies must become more culturally aware to encourage these groups to unite as a community and celebrate similarities and differences.

3. Cultural Awareness Impacts Communication

We may control what we say and how we say it, but we cannot control how another person interprets our words. Communication mishaps are quite common between those who share the same culture and native language. Imagine how much more prevalent they can be when communicating with those from other cultures who speak different languages. By becoming aware of how your communication methods may be translated across cultures, you can identify the best ways to communicate effectively with diverse audiences.

4. Awareness Shows Respect for Other Cultures

Speaking to or about individuals of other cultures is not the only way we can communicate with these groups. We should also prioritize cultural awareness in:

· Product design

· Marketing initiatives

· Public speaking engagements

· Private educational events

· Channels through which we send and receive information between companies, consumers, clients and our communities

Becoming aware and demonstrating our awareness respectfully supports cultural differences, embraces integration in our society and encourages others to adopt the same gestures of pride and reverence.

5. Lack of Awareness May Lead to Accidental Disrespect

In contrast, a lack of cultural awareness may lead us to accidentally disrespect other cultures. Small missteps, even something as mindless as a hand gesture, can make an individual feel disrespected if the actions or words have dual meanings across cultures. Those who are proactively trying to increase their cultural awareness may still make communication errors. But those who do not try to enhance their awareness risk frequently disrespecting those whom they may be trying to sincerely connect with.

6. Awareness Helps Uncover a New Appreciation for What's "Different"

One of the greatest ways to explore our world is through culture. While traveling is a fantastic way to learn about various cultures from their geographical roots, we don't need to venture far to immerse ourselves in new cultures. Seeking out different cultures exposes us to new music, ideologies, movies, foods and stories, giving us the opportunity to appreciate their differences and acknowledge the similarities that exist within our culture.

7. Awareness Nurtures Greater Leadership Capabilities

Developing cultural awareness can be beneficial for individuals in leadership or management roles. Corporations may have hierarchical or egalitarian cultures that require leaders to make decisions, motivate employees and disseminate information to a variety of individuals. Cultural awareness can help these leaders carry out their responsibilities with a global mindset that can help the company evolve, reach new audiences and ensure employees feel acknowledged and valued.

8. Awareness Can Foster a Better Workplace and Social Space

Those in leadership roles, whether official or informal, have a responsibility to lead their groups and engage their clients in a culturally sensitive way. But leaders aren't the only ones who have a responsibility to be culturally sensitive in public and private groups. We should all attempt to make those around us feel accepted and respected. By fostering the individual cultures of our coworkers and friends while fostering the unique social and company cultures, we can positively improve the group dynamic.

9. Awareness Educates Others

Whether we acknowledge it or not, all our interactions leave an impression on others. Imagine being able to spread cultural awareness by encouraging others to follow your example. Becoming culturally aware and practicing these traits can positively influence others in your life. Constructive and meaningful conversation may help others become more culturally aware — or at least encourage them to challenge their worldviews and look inward to examine their own cultural identity.

10. Cultural Awareness Is Tied to Self-Awareness

When we discuss cultural awareness, we often place the focus on others as we acknowledge and understand the worldviews, heritage and customs of those outside our culture. However, we must remember that cultural awareness is also tied to self-awareness. When we realize learning about other cultures strengthens our sense of self, we discover that cultural awareness matters much more than we may initially believe.

SELF AWARENESS AND CULTURAL AWARENESS — HOW THEY STRENGTHEN EACH OTHER

Culture is inevitably a part of identity. Consciously and subconsciously, the cultures we engage with and those that are present around us will have an impact on who we are and how we define ourselves in relation to the world. This affects our self-awareness. Self-awareness can be defined as, "The awareness of one's personality or individuality as it relates to their identity."

Some make the case that there are actually two types of self-awareness:

· Our internal self-awareness: This evaluates how we see ourselves in the world.

· Our external self-awareness: How others in our world view our individuality as it impacts their own experiences.

Cultural awareness and the development of cultural competence requires an understanding of the beliefs of those we share the world with. What many people overlook is that reaching cultural competency involves developing personal cultural awareness. Anyone can acknowledge a person's actions and formulate reasons why they embrace a specific worldview, but understanding these reasons first requires introspection. What some may not realize is that self-awareness can create a better understanding of the individual within a culture.

If an individual struggles to identify with their culture, this can serve as an opportunity to discover why that struggle exists and how they can incorporate their culture into their self-awareness. Cultural awareness and self-awareness are linked — when we become more in-tune with our culture, we can strengthen our sense of self. And when we understand another's culture, we can better understand our external selves

RECOGNIZING INDIVIDUALITY WITHIN CULTURE

Gaining an understanding of cultures in a general sense is only an introduction. While we must try to be mindful of the factors that make each culture unique, we must not forget about the individuals within these cultures. Each person's individuality is built from their unique connection to their heritage, ethnicity and identity. As they adopt or reject elements of their culture, they're creating a subculture in a sense — even if it's a subculture all their own.

Learning about other cultures enables us to better understand those around us on an individual level. Before we can acknowledge differences, sympathize with lifestyles and empathize with specific experiences, we must have a confident understanding of ourselves. Self-awareness and self-reflection force us to evaluate how our culture has influenced our identity and worldview. Concepts of cultural assimilation and integration are difficult to truly define, as each individual undergoes their own experience. However, we can relate based on our own awareness, experience and understanding.

Proactively taking steps to become more aware of our identity and the cultural identities of those around us will help us strengthen our sense of self and our sense of place in our community, family and society as a whole. Just as self-awareness isn't developed overnight, building cultural awareness requires patience, focus and self-reflection.

TAKING THE STEPS TOWARDS CULTURAL AWARENESS TODAY

Developing cultural awareness may be easier than you imagine. The key is to take proactive steps to learn about other cultural perspectives and reflect on your own beliefs. With patience, poise and persistence, you can overcome the cultural misconceptions you may possess and strengthen your cultural awareness.

1. Determine Why You Want to Become Culturally Aware

To achieve a goal, you must identify it first. Whether you desire to enhance your cultural awareness to communicate more effectively in your work, strengthen the bonds within your social circle, learn more about our world or even develop a new global perspective for yourself, any sincere reason is admirable.

2. Learn and Practice Intercultural Communication Respectfully

The best way to learn cultural diversity is to immerse yourself in contexts created or led by those who identify with different cultures. Instead of watching films or reading books framing Culture A through the eyes of Culture B, seek authentic works that celebrate culture through the voices of that cultural community. You can also participate in groups, events and workshops that seek to introduce all members of a society to the smaller cultural communities within that society.

3. Reflect on Your Cultural Identity and Cultural Biases

Cultural awareness requires inward reflection as much as it does outward observation. We all have a cultural bubble — that is, a set of experiences and beliefs that influence our cultural perspective. Some aspects of our identity may be obvious, such as celebrating our culture through clothing, celebrations and foods. Other aspects may be more subconscious, such as a bias we have towards another culture. To grow as individuals, we must identify and reflect on our cultural identity and beliefs.

4. Learn to Let Go of Prejudiced Beliefs and Prevent the Creation of New Beliefs

Unfortunately, not all our beliefs are positive. In fact, many of our perspectives can be hurtful to others, even if these beliefs formed due to misinformation. Why is it important to learn about your culture, including its positive and negative traits? Because we mustn't let prejudiced beliefs disrupt our attempt to become more culturally aware and inclusive. Learning to let go of these culturally insensitive beliefs and allowing ourselves to adopt new worldviews enables our sense of self to evolve in healthy ways.

5. Understand That Developing Cultural Awareness Is an Ongoing Process

No one can awaken their cultural awareness overnight. Many individuals find themselves constantly increasing their cultural awareness by revisiting beliefs and attempting to expand their knowledge. Understand that you must be patient and allow yourself to let go of misconceptions while you build more inclusive beliefs.

INTEGRATING CULTURAL AWARENESS INTO OUR EVERYDAY LIVES

At Y Studios, we believe the benefits of cultural awareness should be prioritized whenever possible. By integrating cultural awareness into product design, we create tools and resources that meet the lifestyle needs of those across a culturally diverse population. We emphasize diversity through our culture-driven design process, which aims to integrate products into consumer's lives in useful, beautiful and meaningful ways. Our multicultural sensitivity ensures that each design is culturally appropriate for the intended market.

For more insights, connect with the team at Y Studios today and learn more about our innovation expertise.