One of the most important adventures we will experience in our lives is the road to discovering who we really are. Many of us walk around either not really knowing who or what we are or listening to an awful inner voice that tells us all the wrong ideas about ourselves.
We often mistake self-understanding and knowing one’s self as self-indulgence and instead avoid one of the few questions in life that truly matter; Who am I really?!
“How hurtful it can be to deny one’s true self and live a life of lies just to appease others.”
June Ahern
The truth of who we are is an absolutely essential part of ourselves. So much so that the absence of knowing can often have detrimental effects and could lead to us losing our sense of self, personal goals, and close relationships.
In order to become completely ourselves or feel free enough to be who we are, we must first take the time to find out our own personal truth. We may not always like it to begin with but knowing is the first step on the road to accepting.
When you finally know who you truly are, you also appear to gain the ability to know exactly what it is you need to do. Instead of seeking out others, be they friends, family members, work colleagues etc. for permission to do what you already know you need to do, you’ll just be able to get on and do it.
Knowing yourself will bring a newfound confidence to you because you will understand your purpose and may even feel like you start to make a bigger impact upon the world. So, how do you find your true self?
Silence
You cannot find yourself if you are rushing around and not listening to your inner voice so simply stop. Be silent and be still. It is not until you are alone and quiet that you are able to truly stop, think and analyse yourself, both the good and the bad and discover your true self.
Realisation
You will never truly know yourself until you accept WHO you really are and now what you want to be. There is a difference. Most of us have a set idea in our minds of what we want to be, but this is not necessarily who we are. Take a look at your true strengths and follow their paths to see where they lead.
Passion
One good way to find out who you truly are is to look at what ignites that fire within you. What are you passionate about? Passion produces effort meaning you’ll put more effort than usual into what you are doing. Find what you are passionate about and focus on it!
Opinion
If you’re truly struggling to find your true self, then ask others for their opinion. Ask them what they think your strengths and weaknesses are. You may find their answers surprising and things you would never have thought of. Sometimes those closest to us may be able to see something in us we can never see for ourselves.
“Observing yourself is the necessary starting point for any real change.” —Chalmers Brothers
When we know what we want, we are able to take power over our own lives. So, don’t shy away from the question; Who are you, really?