Do you ever feel like you aren't sure of who you are? The feeling is more common than you know.
Personality is a difficult thing to size up and understand when you aren't able to see it from an outside perspective- it is true that sometimes you cannot see where you are because you're in the thick of it. Sometimes things get clearer when you're able to look back and identify what you're seeing.
Here's some attainable ways to connect with yourself.
1. Document.
Keep a journal of your day to day activities. Fill it with your thoughts, your hobbies, write down your current favourite songs, foods, clothes, people, all of it. Whatever comes to mind in the moment. Fill it as time goes on, and when you run out of pages, reread and revisit! You're looking at a curation of yourself, by you, for you.
2. Visualize.
Moodboards, collages, visionboards- these are all fantastic ways to place your inner thoughts into something visual and tangible. With curation tools like Pinterest and WeHeartIt, you can make boards after boards of things you resonate with. If you want to, you can make these your lock screens, desktop wallpapers, or even print them out and place them somewhere you see frequently. This could give you an idea of what you're striving for, as well as help keep your motivation up!
3. Meditate.
Meditation is a fantastic way to get to know your inner world, although it is a little harder to get into for most people. Giving yourself the time to unravel your thoughts and deep dive into them in meditation is a good way to bring yourself peace, but for some, it's a way to engage with their subconscious. Self-reflection could work just as well if not even better- taking the time to ask yourself major questions about why you do things, how you do them, and what that means to you- could open up conversations you'd never think of otherwise.
4. Analyse.
Could it be easier to learn who you are by first learning who you are not? Sit and make a list of your non-negotiables: what are opinions you have that you don't think you'll change? what are things in your life you need, regardless of what happens? what are qualities you treasure, what are qualities you dislike? Take a moment to see what you are not before you try learn more about who you are- keep in mind, the things we aren't can often change just as much as the things are are.
5. Accept.
Learning who you are is a fickle thing. People change, circumstances change, your likes and dislikes change too. Accept that the idea of the self is ever-changing, and that the more stress you endure trying to figure yourself out, the less you actually enjoy the person you are. The idea that we are all known for specific traits is a fantasy world of thinking- in life, we aren't sorted into houses based on personality traits. You are a medley of things!
Getting a clearer image of who you are is always beneficial, but try not to place too much on your shoulders about it- knowing oneself allows us to grow. In a way, we learn who we are so we can be more. It is very similar to finding the right pair of shoes just to take down your size so you can find a better- or different- pair.
Remember, to reflect perfectly, the waters must be calm. Once you've gotten what you're looking for, who's stopping you from taking a plunge? It's summer, after all. Live!