Regardless of where we come from, what our jobs are, or what our personal life looks like, inevitably, each one of us ends up asking ourselves one very tough question: Who am I?
A simple question like this can spark an astonishing amount of follow-up questions which, quite honestly, can seem impossible to answer. We have decided to put together these 5 easy steps to Self-Discovery, that is, a simple yet insightful “road map” that will allow you to finally get the answers you have been looking for.
#1. Think about your “past self”
I would like you to take a minute to think about your personality, your life, even your job, 10 years ago. Try to look back in detail and ask yourself: Am I happier now or then? Try to pin-point the reasons that lead to your change in happiness, regardless of whether you feel happier with your life now, or 10 years ago.
#2. What are your passions?
What makes you truly excited? A good way to find out who you are, is to focus on your passions and hobbies rather than focusing on what college degree or job you may have. By digging deep and tracing as many enjoyable activities as you can, you will have the first tools to envision who you are by deriving it from your passions.
#3. How do others perceive you?
Now that you know about your past self and your passions, it’s time to think about how others perceive you. Most of us have quite a specific “mask” we use when we are we others, which can assume many different forms. Some may see you as someone focused and serious, some may see you as an easy-going, funny person. Try to see which parts of this “mask” are in synchrony with your true inner self, and which ones are not.
#4. How do you perceive yourself?
After taking the previous step, you can now compare others’ perception of who you are and who you truly are. Take the time to think about assumptions and perceptions people make, and see which ones just don’t align with your inner personality. Once you start taking off this “mask”, you will have a clearer idea of your true inner self. When you try to understand yourself, make sure you let go of self-limiting beliefs because it's not who you are. You are a much bigger person than your limitations. You also need to learn to use your fear and turn fear into power. As Tony Robbins said "use fear or it uses you".
#5. Envision your “future self”
Having a vision for your future is vitally important. This last step is designed to help you finally figure out who you truly are. When you think about your future, be it the immediate future or the distant one, who do you see? When thinking about our aspirations and desires, we tend to forget about others’ ideas and expectations, and rather focus on our own desires and goals. Go into as much detail as you like in order to truly envision your ideal “future self” which would bring you the most joy. Don’t focus on material possessions or jobs, truly just focus on you.
The road to self-discovery is a life-long path, which you are free to explore and eventually discover all the different qualities and quirks that make you, you. Although these are just some short and easy-to-follow tips, they will surely help you start a truly inspiring journey towards self-discovery.
If you find these tips useful and you'd like a process to know your true, authentic self and truly understanding who you are, check the 23 Days To Self Discovery Self-Paced Journaling Course. This program will show you how to use your journal to know and understand yourself better.