Awareness Is a Leadership Superpower — and Psilocybin Might Be the Missing Link
How self-observation transforms how we lead — and how plant medicine can open the door to deeper inner clarity.
Throughout my career, I’ve been praised for my ability to read a room, sense unspoken tensions, and pick up on subtle dynamics. That kind of external awareness was a major asset in high-pressure environments. But for years, I overlooked something far more powerful: the ability to read myself.
I was productive and focused, yet often reactive driven by thoughts and emotions I barely noticed, let alone understood. Like many high performers, I was operating from reflex instead of awareness.
Things shifted when I began exploring internal practices like meditation, journaling, and eventually, guided psilocybin journeys. Over time, I developed the capacity to observe my internal experience. That awareness changed how I led, communicated, and made decisions. It gave me choice.
Why Self-Observation Matters
Self-observation is the ability to witness your inner world without being consumed by it. In psychology, this is known as metacognition — the act of thinking about your thinking.
When we notice what we’re feeling or thinking in real time, we create space. That space is what allows us to respond rather than react. It’s the pause between stimulus and response where all transformation begins.
The shift might sound subtle “I’m angry” becomes “I notice I’m feeling anger” but it’s powerful. That one shift softens reactivity and invites self-leadership.
Tools That Build Self-Awareness
There are accessible, evidence-based tools that help leaders build the muscle of self-observation:
Meditation
Meditation is often misunderstood as an attempt to stop the mind from thinking. But the goal isn’t silence, it’s presence. Meditation trains your attention to notice thoughts as they arise without immediately reacting or attaching meaning to them.
With consistency, meditation builds awareness and discernment. You begin to see which thoughts are helpful, which are habitual, and which simply aren’t true. You become the executive of your own mind not eliminating thoughts, but managing them wisely.
Many leaders we work with report that even just ten minutes of breath-focused meditation each day helps them show up more calmly and clearly in high-stakes situations.
Label What’s Arising
One of the simplest and most effective awareness tools is affect labeling; the act of naming what you're experiencing. Saying, “I’m noticing frustration” instead of “I’m frustrated” shifts your relationship to the emotion. It softens the charge and creates enough distance to observe instead of react.
Neuroscientific research confirms this. A landmark UCLA study found that labeling emotions activates the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (associated with regulation) and reduces activity in the amygdala, the brain’s fear and emotion center helping regulate the nervous system and reduce emotional intensity in the moment (Lieberman et al., 2007).
This practice is especially powerful in conflict, feedback situations, or moments of internal doubt. It invites curiosity and compassion into the conversation with yourself.
Journaling
Journaling is often overlooked, but it remains one of the most effective tools for building self-awareness. It provides a space for thoughts to land, patterns to emerge, and emotions to be witnessed — all without interruption or judgment.
By putting pen to paper, you externalize what’s internal. This act alone helps you gain clarity and insight. Research by psychologist Dr. James Pennebaker shows that expressive writing can improve emotional processing, reduce stress, and enhance mental clarity, especially when used consistently (Pennebaker & Smyth, 2016). You don’t need to write pages. Even a few lines a day such as “What am I noticing right now?” or “What do I need to feel supported today?” can yield meaningful self-connection.
Some of our clients use journaling to reflect on their leadership style, emotional triggers, or personal goals. Over time, these reflections accumulate into a roadmap of inner growth.
Where Psilocybin Comes In
While practices like meditation and journaling create gradual self-awareness, psilocybin can act as a powerful accelerator especially for those stuck in repeating mental loops or emotional blocks.
In a safe and intentional setting, psilocybin helps quiet the mental noise and brings subconscious material to the surface. It allows you to witness yourself more clearly often from a place of deep compassion and non-judgment.
You don’t become someone else under its influence you become more aware of who you've always been. Old stories, unexamined beliefs, and deeply held patterns come into view, giving you a chance to release or reframe them.
Scientific research supports what many have experienced firsthand. A groundbreaking study by Johns Hopkins University found that psilocybin can lead to “substantial and sustained improvements in psychological functioning and well-being”, even from a single dose, when paired with proper preparation and integration. Dr. Roland Griffiths, the late pioneering researcher behind the study, noted:
“Under the right conditions, psilocybin can produce deeply meaningful and transformative experiences that increase openness, self-awareness, and emotional insight.”
The science confirms what ancient traditions have long known: when approached with reverence and intention, psilocybin is not an escape — it’s an invitation inward.
At The Mind Shift Network, we guide founders, creatives, and leaders through intentional psilocybin journeys combined with preparation and integration support. These aren’t psychedelic “trips.” They are transformational containers for clarity, healing, and growth.
A Case in Point
One founder we worked with had just raised a significant funding round and was navigating a growing team. On the surface, he was succeeding. Internally, he was exhausted and emotionally disconnected.
Through a private journey and consistent integration coaching, he began to reconnect with himself recognizing suppressed emotions, inherited beliefs, and old narratives that were unconsciously shaping his leadership.
With the support of journaling, meditation, and reflective inquiry, he began showing up differently. His communication improved. His decision-making slowed down and became more values-aligned. The shift wasn’t about working harder it was about becoming more present and self-led.
This Is the Work We Support
At The Mind Shift Network here in Los Angeles, we offer a unique combination of guided plant medicine journeys, executive coaching, and integration practices to support deep transformation from the inside out.
Whether you’re exploring a private journey, joining a group ceremony, or enrolling in a coaching program, our work is designed to help you:
Clarify who you are beneath the noise
Lead with more presence, empathy, and insight
Build sustainable tools for long-term alignment
This isn’t about escaping reality it’s about seeing it more clearly and choosing to engage with it consciously.
The Invitation
Whether through stillness, writing, or plant medicine, self-awareness is always the first step. It opens the door to clarity, possibility, and change.
Self-observation isn’t about perfection. It’s about noticing and choosing differently.
And from that space, a new kind of leadership emerges: one that is grounded, conscious, and deeply human.