5 Tips on How to Find Yourself
Throughout the last 5 years, I have read lots of book trying to point me in the right direction of some “head clarity”. I have shared what I learned with friends hoping to help them too. But in the end, I realized, it doesn’t matter what I share with them because the quest to “find yourself” is a deeply spiritual trip that only you can make.
Maybe you have lost your job, or illness got in the way somehow and changed your entire future…but think about it as the BIG picture, it never really changed your future. This IS your future. What you are living right now. So how do we come to terms with that and find a way to move forward?
5 Tips on How to Find Yourself
- Who were you before this perfect version of what your life was supposed to be entered your head? Is it possible that this person is still under there and if so, how do we let her free? Take out your journal…because by now you know I am going to say that with some of my exercises. Write your name in a circle in the center of your journal page. Write all the words you would use to describe yourself…before you think you got lost. Everything you write must be something you like. I know, shocking, but you can do this. I believe in you. Take a few seconds to ground yourself by breathing in and out and really concentrating on your name. Bring up that vision of you. What is the first word that comes to mind? Write it and go from there.
- Did you remember your dreams? On the next page, think about what you wanted to do before you felt lost. Are you doing it? Again, if this is hard, close your eyes. Breathe. Center. Now write what comes to you as you think about what your soul desires. What steps are you making to get there? What small steps could you make to start going that way?
- Are you accepting what comes to you? If we drop everyone’s expectation for a minute…have you turned down something that came to you because of what others might think? There might be a lesson that you missed because of what others would think or an opportunity you walked away from that you wished you hadn’t. Don’t look back. Open new doors. Continue on. Write one thing that if it came to you, you would be open to accepting it right now! Breathe. Center. Write.
- How often do you practice stillness? Go back to your list of words that you wrote to describe yourself. Pick a word that you really, really like. I’ll start. “I am _____.” I am going to insert the word strong. So in my moments of stillness, I am going to think and affirm to myself that I am strong. No other thoughts are going to come into my head as I think about this. Similarly, you can use “I am healthy.” This puts you in control of your thoughts, not the other way around. They are thoughts. YOUR thoughts. Control them with this practice and remember who you are. Practice these Gratitude Mantras if you are stuck.
- Have you gotten out of your comfort zone, or are you digging in and making it a permanent residence? Interesting and fabulous things can happen when you get out of the comfort zone. This crazy yoga pose I had convinced myself I was not strong enough to do, well I got mad, hahaha, anyway, and then I tried it. I laugh because use your emotions for a higher purpose. Don’t let them take you down a level. So, use your fear of being uncomfortable just for a minute. Think about worst case scenario. For me, it was falling over and getting hurt. But I was safe because hubby, who might have made me mad, I don’t know, was my spotter. So he wasn’t going to let me fall..and when I realized that I could do it, well I said a cuss word really loud because I do that in my head, and sometimes they just come out of my mouth too. But I did the pose. How long could I have been practicing that if I hadn’t been afraid of failure because I was once not strong enough? I was my own worst enemy. So are you…but chances are, you know that.
Need more help? Check this out.
Like this post? There is more of this kind of thing in my new program 4 Weeks to Wellness. Or Head|Heart|Health tab at the top of the blog.
Spread awesomeness:
This article really really spoke to me today. I had to walk away from a very stressful job that was affecting my health recently and it was the most prestigious position in title and salary I have ever held. Unfortunately all that prestige came with a cost I was not willing to pay long term. Now I am left facing me and wondering how I can pick up the pieces of my life and move on without further damage to my self esteem or finances. A very humbling experience it has been and I have had lots of time alone to reflect. Still wondering what the next steps will be but I have a feeling that I am on the right path…finally. Thanks for this!
Hi Chanel! I had to leave my stressful job as well…didn’t pay much, but I was a teacher:) You can read my about me on the blog for more, but I am sooo glad it spoke to you. It was very difficult to leave because I just did it without a plan. We also had to cut back, budget, and scrape for a while, but we are finally getting back into the upswing. It was for my health as well!!