The vast world around us is filled with so many different people and personalities, it’s no wonder we often get the sense that we don’t really know who we are as individuals. But what if you were able to discover yourself on your own terms?
Here are 9 ways to discover yourself in life, love, and everything else that surrounds you.
1) Follow your heart
The best way to discover yourself is by following your heart. This can take you on a journey of self-reflection, discovery, and exploration. Even if it feels scary at first because the truth isn’t always nice or easy, it’s essential in order to uncover who you are.
If you don’t know what your passions are, try these: write down everything that comes to mind for five minutes; find activities that sound fun; ask friends for ideas; look up volunteer opportunities. You might find something that lights up a part of you!
2) Find your passion
Don’t try to shoehorn yourself into someone else’s mold. You are unique, different from everyone else. There is something out there that you’re really good at and that you’ll love doing. Just go out and find it!
The following methods will help get your started:
1) Write a bucket list. Create a list of things you want to do before you die and prioritize the items by ranking them in order of importance to your life.
3) Dig into the past
Look through your past photos. Where were you? Who were you with? What are you wearing? Travel somewhere new and explore the culture. Write about your best and worst days ever, which one did you have more fun at? Take a self-test online.
4) Take risks
In high school and college, the pressure of living up to someone else’s expectations is strong. Especially when it comes to succeeding in school.
To live authentically, pursue what you’re passionate about outside of your education. Take risks and see where they lead you! The past few years I’ve been writing full-time and am so happy with how things have turned out. Sure, there were a few times I wanted to give up but I decided not to because I enjoyed it too much.
5) Live in the moment
Don’t be afraid of what may come your way; let it come and then experience it fully. Experience the moment at hand without worrying about what may happen next or how you should act in that moment.
6) Learn about yourself
Learning about yourself has never been more accessible, and with some creativity and ingenuity you’ll learn more about who you are every day. Here are few ways to start exploring your inner self:
1) Take a long walk at night in an unfamiliar place. You may find things that you miss or get inspired by the variety of things that exist all around us.
2) Join a gym or other fitness center and be open-minded about how you want to work out.
7) Be determined
Whether it is physical or emotional, it’s possible for you to get back up after you fall down.
Everyone has fallen before, so instead of feeling discouraged, stay determined and never give up on any of your dreams.
8) Practice gratitude
Often, the things that we’re feeling most grateful for are the things that we think we don’t deserve.
Gratitude is a powerful tool for building relationships with people, and on top of that, it helps us feel less stressed, more content and more inspired to share who we are with the world.
Whether you take a 5-minute minute every day to appreciate what you have or embark on a life-changing gratitude project, it’s important to acknowledge what’s good in your life and give thanks.
9) Respect others
It’s not just about self-discovery; what you do with what you find out is also important. If it makes sense, make changes and adjustments. If it doesn’t, keep looking or find a way to incorporate what you’ve learned into your life as it is. Remember that there is no right answer.
