Who Am I ?
How many times have you asked yourself this question?
Exploring our individuality is at the heart of our most basic need.
The need to find comfort in a solid sense of self-identity.
Knowing who we are grounds us. It gives us the confidence to unleash our potential; to be creative; and to grow.
This simple question is often followed by many more, like:
How do I find out who I am?
Why do I keep returning to this same question in different seasons of life?
How do I prevent getting stuck in a previous version of me?
All of these questions are a part of the natural process of evolving.
Like climbing a ladder, we aim for the top by strategically placing one foot above the other. Always reaching for the next level of who we are.
We understand this concept as a society. The school system is setup like a ladder from kindergarten to 12th grade. Year by year, we add new information and skills to what was previously learned.
Corporations offer a fast-track up from entry level to management. If not, as a free agent, we are inspired to look for the opportunity elsewhere.
These ladders are ingrained in our society as the normal growth process for both education and career.
Why is the ladder for self-identity left out of this plan?
One of the reasons is that our organized society is designed to focus on building a community of “We”.
The community of “We” is very important. Education and a sufficient workforce is needed to develop communities into strong nations. But from every viewpoint, the quality of who we are as individuals determines the quality of who we are as a society.
So. . . who is responsible for building the "me" in a community of "we"?
The ladder for who we are as individuals is a personal journey.
One that is simply complicated.
Simple enough on the surface; but often times, difficult to fully understand. With a lot in common, we are all uniquely different. Detailed self exploration is the only way to truly know who you are.
It's the only way to learn the art of flowing in your own river.
How do we start the exploration process?
1
The First Step is Acceptance
Accepting that you don't fully know who you are. While some elements of your personality remain constant, You have the potential to continuously change. Most of us have a keen sense of others because of our common people watching skills.
But how often do we focus that same lens in on ourselves?
Like a stranger, monitoring our thoughts, listening to what we say and watching our actions to understand how they make us feel. Acceptance of what we don’t know about ourselves is a humble approach to curiosity. That child-like curiosity is needed to discover the core of self-identity.
At our deepest level, we’re explorers. . .
Explorers of new ideas; of modern experiences; of internal innovation. We are explorers of who we are today. . . and who we’re becoming tomorrow.
2
The Second Step is Developing a Learning Mindset
Becoming a student of me. This mindset prepares a healthy learning environment for self-reflection. It provides a mental safe haven that is open to reviewing each layer of who we are. The internal beauty, the questionable traits and the unpleasant shadows that lurk in our darkest fantasies. The learning mindset allows you to see yourself with sober judgement. To gain new perspectives on ways to improve.
There are 2 branches of this mindset:
the secure branch
and the growth branch.
The secure learning mindset learns for a season.
After that season, they believe they already know everything there is to know about self, arriving at a secured idea of who they are. Because they stop learning at a set time, they often repeat the same life as the same person. Over and over again, the days, months and years are on repeat, stuck in the same pattern of thinking and living.
The growth branch of the learning mindset remains open.
Actively searching for ways to progress towards the next best version of self.
At every stage of life, from adolescence to midlife and thereafter, a different person is consistently blooming. With the growth learning mindset, we consciously manage our maturity instead of subconsciously allowing our environment to shape who we should be.
3
The Third Step is to Carefully Choose Your Life Classes
Every day of life is a class. Your areas of study include relationships, education, career, finances, lifestyle and health.
What are you interested in pursuing?
Consider your priorities and rank them. Develop a short list that focuses in on your top 5 most important life classes. Choose meaningful opportunities that are in line with your areas of focused self-study.
4
The Fourth Step is to Commit to Showing Up
As the fundamental flaws of our humanity surface, the urge to run increases. We prefer an easy-going environment. Focusing on our good, debating the questionable and locking the bad in a mental closet.
We can work on overcoming internal adversity by showing up for necessary conflicts. Recognize the positive impact of finding solutions.
Firefighters are trained to run towards the fire instead of away from it. The fire academy prepares them with the tools needed for the best possible outcome. Left unchecked, just like a wildfire, we have the ability to progress to dangerous levels of internal injury.
Focus in on showing up to learn the difficult life lessons. Take responsibility for your own well-being.
5
The Fifth Step is Challenging Yourself To Grow
See how far you can push yourself. Past who you were yesterday. Continuously experiment with expanding your mindful living in the here and now. Expand your sense of wonder and adventure.
Challenge yourself to grow:
Grow mentally
Grow spiritually
Grow emotionally
In relationships
In finances
In careers
In health
One step at a time. . .
A balanced “Me” becomes a stronger community of “We”.
Subscribe to explore the commonalities of our humanity with us.
One topic at a time. . .
From the inside out. . .
Welcome to Circles of You.
Comments