Finding Yourself: How to Become More Self-Aware
Self-awareness comes from finding yourself. Itโs knowing yourself so that you can better navigate the world around you.
It helps you live more intentionally (and with purpose) because all your decisions can consider what you know about yourself.
This post covers what it means to โfind yourself,โ the benefits of leaning into what makes you unique, and how you can start your journey of self-discovery.
Related post: 16 Relaxing Mindfulness Activities for Adults
What does “finding yourself” mean?
Finding yourself means to have a better understanding of who you are.
Itโs when you get to know all your quirks, what resonates with you, what triggers you emotionally, etc.
You become more mindful of how you interact with the world, and why you react to things the way you do.
You get to know your strengths and what areas need improvement.
The benefit of self-awareness
When you are more conscious of your traits, behaviors, feelings, etc., you can make better-informed decisions that move you in a positive direction.
You use self-awareness to make decisions intentionally based upon that knowledge.
According to PositivePsychology.com, the four benefits of self-awareness are:
- It helps you become more proactive, boost your acceptance, and encourage positive self-development.
- You see things from othersโ perspectives, practice self-control, work creatively and productively, and experience pride in yourself and your work.
- It leads to better decision-making.
- You become better at your job because youโre a better communicator, and your self-confidence in the workplace improves.ย
Leaning into what makes you different
Many of us shy away from certain aspects of ourselves, especially when they are traits not everyone has.
You may think that you are โtoo loud,โ โtoo assertive,โ โtoo shy,โ or that your experiences are โtoo differentโ from what others know and talk about.
Itโs normal to feel insecure about being different. But, most of the time, those traits, qualities, and stories can be our greatest strengths.
Those differences can add value to others around you because you provide a different perspective.
Thank goodness you are not the same as them!
You widen the spectrum for everyone else when you donโt play small.
How do you find yourself?
Now that you know what finding yourself means and the benefits of it, here are a few ways to get started on your journey to self-discovery.
Try new things.
Learning new skills allows you to explore your working style and discover more about what you like and dislike.
Reflect in a journal.
Ask yourself self-discovery questions like, โWhat does a โgood lifeโ mean to me?โ โWhat do I value most?โ โWhat are my priorities in life right now?โ
Get more attuned with yourself.
What lights you up? What do you find yourself getting lost in? Is there something that triggers negative emotions? Explore each of these and start to notice how you react and interact in your everyday life.
Dive deeper into a current interest.
Focus on learning and getting better at an existing hobby. Discover how it makes you feel. Do you get lost in it? What about this hobby interests you?
Practice mindfulness.
Start paying more attention and being present as you navigate life. Notice when things light your soul on fire (i.e., when you feel fully aligned to something) and when things drain your energy.
Be intentional with your decisions.
Take the time to think about why you want to do something and how it can impact your life.
Get lost in your thoughts.
Take a slow day to explore who you are. Write down things you wish you knew more about yourself, then dive deeper into those thoughts.
Learn more about your family history.
Get to know your whole self by finding out more about your family and how the past has shaped you and your family today.
learn about other peopleโs cultures and experiences.
Practice empathy. Take an interest in others’ experiences so that you can take that into account as you make decisions in your own life.
Practice gratitude.
Train your brain to find the positive in everything. Use a gratitude journal and explore the purpose of everything in your life.
Authorโs note:ย
In the advertising world, most people are extroverted, opinionated, and thereโs a โyou have to be the loudest in the room to be successfulโ type of vibe.
As an introvert, I will never be the loudest in the room.
But my strength is that Iโm a great listener and am excellent at organizing lots of information in a digestible manner for everyone.
Iโm not a small talker, but everything I do say is thoughtful.
Embracing Who I am
It took me many years to fully embrace and understand that my working style benefits the team. I donโt need to be like everyone else.
My strength helps our team be efficient and allows me to lead complex projects effectively.
Iโm invaluable because I bring a different skill set to the table.
This realization helped me lean further into my unique strengths, made me more confident, and helped me grow on the team.
I hope after reading this article you feel inspired to learn more about yourself and empowered to lean into what makes you different.
Your uniqueness is your superpower, and I hope you start to see your individuality as your strength. Xoxo Remi.
Call to action
Challenge yourself to do one of the ten self-discovery tips above.
Write one journal entry. Talk to a family member about your family history. Sign up for a class youโve wanted to try.
I encourage you to take the first step in your self-discovery journey now while itโs top of mind.
And then leave a comment down below to tell me about your experience.
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