Do You Know Yourself?
“Tell me more about yourself”, if I were to ask you this question, what would be your answer? Would you describe what you do or would you talk about who you are?
I have found that very few people actually take the time to know themselves. They go through life, constantly chasing things; money, prestige, comfort, pleasure. In that chase, they typically neglect their inner self and what it may truly need.
There’s great power in knowing yourself and living authentically. In a world full of trends and forced classifications, the ability to fully be oneself is indispensable. Even Socrates said it himself millennia ago: “To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom.”
What does it mean to know yourself?
Knowing yourself simply means understanding who you are, what you like and dislike, your strengths and weaknesses, and what’s important to you. It’s about being aware of your thoughts, feelings, and motivations, which helps you make better choices and live a more authentic and fulfilling life.
Personally, I have been learning about myself for over 6 years. This gives me an understanding of the self discovery journey and I wanted to use this article to share some insight about self discovery and how I got to know myself.
Practice Self Awareness
This is the most important aspect of self discovery. To know yourself, you have to be aware of yourself. Every thought, action, or emotion is an indication of some part of yourself. For every situation you find yourself in, no matter how big or small, ask yourself why. You don’t like to look in the mirror. Why? You can’t maintain healthy relationships. Why?
The goal is not to criticise yourself, it’s to recognise the different parts of yourself, both the good and the bad. That’s why it’s important that you are honest and willing to open yourself up to whatever you may learn. From that, you can begin to make adjustments to improve yourself. If you are looking for a practical guide to know more about yourself, you can check out this article. It has simple but practical questions that reveal parts of yourself you probably haven’t thought about.
Avoid Distractions
We live in a world overrun with information, opinions, and agendas. Everybody has something to say or content to share. These things are typically perpetuated by our environment, those around us, and social media. They have the power to erode your sense of self-identity. The more time you spend focusing on them, the more they shape your thoughts, personality and actions.
It is crucial to disassociate yourself from such things. The world should not dictate who you are, that is entirely up to you. Now, I’m not saying that everything that is said about you or seen on social media is bad. I’m just saying that you have to be strict with what you allow to get into your head.
You are the only human that can ever know you in your entirety. Every other person can only ever have their perception of you. Dwell on what you think about yourself and not what they say.
Embrace Change
Life is all about learning. The day we stop learning is the day we die. Every day, you’ll come across new aspects of yourself. As we grow, There will be different stages of life waiting for us. You may be an entry-level worker today. Eventually, you may become a manager, executive, or business owner.
Each new designation will carry its own unique traits and challenges that would require specific learning. This is why self-awareness is important. It will always help you understand newer aspects of yourself and fit them into your existing self.
“Life is hard. Don’t make it harder for yourself”, This is one of many sayings I try to live by. The truth is that life will happen, both in its good and its bad but how you react is what truly matters in the long run. To ensure you make the right decision, figure out who you are. When you know yourself, life becomes easier to a certain extent.
