“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” ― Aristotle
Growing up, I was a rather reflective, introspective kinda gal. I used to spend long hours curled up under the window with some music in the background, letting my mind wander…or writing in my journal…or just day dreaming idly.
Then, life happened. Thrust into the work place with all its associated pressures, adjusting to a life away from home, marriage, changing states, adjusting to new cultures…all of it took a toll, and that introspective girl got lost along the way.
As things settled down I took a moment to look at my life and realized I love it and am grateful for it. But at the same time, I realized that I’ve been running for so long that I’ve lost touch with … me. And so I set off on a quest to find myself. As I worked through it I gathered a lot of tools to self-discovery along the way.
Here are 4 of my favorites.
1. Journal, Journal, Journal: Writing helps you slow down, tune in, and listen to the soft whisper inside you that will lead you home. If you don’t know where to start, there are tons of sites out there offering journaling prompts and 50 questions to ask yourself. What really helped me get back to my journal, though, was the Soul Comfort class offered by the Brave Girls Club. If you haven’t checked them out already, I highly recommend that you do.
2. Make me-time a priority: This is time for YOU – to do what you WANT to do. Often, as we rush through our daily lives, running from one thing to the next, we sacrifice me time until we no longer know what makes us happy. But, true happiness comes from within – you need to stop waiting for someone or something to bring you happiness. And when you me make me time a priority, you start figuring out what it is that makes you happy. And then you go out and do it!
3. Find your passion: And when I say this – I don’t mean that you will become rich and famous by following it. That’s a more modern concept that I do not fully agree with, and the topic for a different post. When you’re figuring out your passion, try free association and mind mapping to find out what gives you a thrill, then do it. And for heaven’s sake do NOT look at it from the rigid frame of making it a career. Pretty please!
4. Make a life list: And make it long. Include all the things you would love to do – like travel, learn new languages, create meaningful art – and keep adding to it. And every year, make sure you cross off a few things from that list. And if you don’t want to do something that’s on the list any more, that’s fine too. It’s totally OK to change your mind!
Got any tips that help you connect to yourself? Share them in the comments!
In the last couple of years, journalling has helped me find and save myself!
I’ve been journaling on and off almost all my life. It’s recently become an almost daily practice, and the benefits are enormous!
That girl curled up near the window with music for company, lost in thoughts, reminded me of myself 🙂
🙂 glad to meet another kindred spirit!
A lot of me time and time for something you love is very important.. It lets you disconnect from all that is weighing you down
Absolutely!!
I found myself when I discovered blogging.
So blogging, I guess, works like journaling for you. Which is great! 🙂
Introspecting on the person I once was and the person I am now, helps me know myself better.
Yup, introspection is a biggie!
I have a lot of time to myself. I find it disturbing. Back when I was working, I had adequate time for myself. Balance is the key I guess.
Maybe. Or maybe you need to channel your time better? Often, when we have a lot of time, we tend to waste it, thinking we have the entire day ahead of us. Before we know it, though, the day’s over & we haven’t achieved much. The key I think is discipline, and it’s something I struggle with everyday!
Right now pushing my limits and participating in the challenging as it is a passion 🙂 Thanks for reminding these things. It is imp to keep remembering once in a while
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my blog : http://afshan-shaik.blogspot.in/
This challenge is hard….but fun too! Glad to have come across it, and to have a group working on it together 🙂
Finding something outside of office and family is something I am trying to do . I still need to find that elusive something that I truly am passionate about.
Reading is one of them for you I think? I’ve seen you quite often at the TSBC chat 🙂
Happy to connect with you here too :). I ve been missing the TSBC chats for a while now!
I follow almost everything except for the last point. Just never came down to it.
It’s a relatively new one for me too, but it really works!! I’ll be sharing more about lists in the L post 😀
Of your four points, I find the third one the most important. Once you’ve got that pat, the rest is easier. 🙂
And that’s the one that’s so dang hard to pin down!!
Completely agree…finding time what I love – my passion and writing of course!
🙂
Very true. I find myself struggling with point no 2 and still trying to map for the third. Looks like I’ve a long way to go.
Blogging is one of the idea to ‘Me’ time