Finding Yourself (Part 1)
Finding yourself and who you could be is one of the most empowering and exciting journeys anyone could ever embark on. Every day I pray that God shows me the path I am to take, to be who I am to be. In today’s society, it is almost nonviable to be acquainted with ourselves; many of us don’t know the power we possess.
This society you grew up in can put ideas in your head about the type of person you ought to be. Nigeria has the automatic setting “GO.” so many of us aren’t allowed to know who they are, what they want, and the potential they have. As a result, about 80% of our population are unhappy; we seem to be conforming to society.
The quest to find who you are may seem like a selfish journey; trust me, it isn’t. You can’t give what you don’t have; you need to discover the best you to impact society. You have to be the best version of yourself to be the best partner, friend, spouse, parent etc. this is a journey every individual is required to take at some point in their lives.
It’s a process that involves a tremendous amount of shedding and building up. It was Aristotle who said, “knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.
Negative thoughts never really leave our heads. Instead, they keep popping up, and we tend to indulge those thoughts and forget who we are. We often listen to our inner critic who brings bad vibes about ourselves. With this article, I am hoping to help you find yourself.
It is known that our past makes us who we are today, but we have the choice to change the future. To find ourselves, we have to ponder on what made us who we are today. Research has shown that it isn’t just what happened to us that defines what we become, but what we make of what has happened to us. The perspective and airspace we grew up in have a vital role to play in how we act as adults.
When we try to sweep our past under the rug and suppress it, we tend to get lost and feel like we don’t know ourselves. It may be hard sometimes, but you have to confront your past to grow. Remember that this exercise isn’t about wallowing in self-pity. It’s about learning what you have understood about yourself from past experiences.
Discover and celebrate what makes you, you and what makes you happy.
Our minds are designed to dwell on the negative things in life. Many of us fall into that dark hole of thoughts that bully us into thinking we are less than we actually are. Then we wallow in self-pity, and all we do is complain about our circumstances and situation. to cut the story short, we often think of what we don’t want instead of what we want, which is sad.
Knowing what you want is a step in the right direction to finding yourself. Acknowledging your wants and aspirations helps you get to know yourself better and discover what is important to us. Wanting leaves us feeling alive, which makes us vulnerable to the world. The fear of getting hurt allows us to ignore what we want because “to live truly is to truly lose”.
My aunt asked me a question last year or so; she asked, “Kosi, what is your passion..?, what drives you..?” As at that time, I had no idea what I was doing. Hell, I was trying to make it till the weekend. But thanks to Corona and joblessness, I had so much time on my hand, so I invested that time knowing me and trust me, it was one hell of a rollercoaster.
I found out I do a decent job with the pen, and I recently found out that I am excellent with the pencil also (I had no idea). Who knows what I would be discovering about myself in the nearest future? Maybe I would be excellent with at least two strings instruments or the piano.
Once you tap into that greatness that is hidden within you because it’s in you, you’d be unstoppable. It is one of the most significant accomplishments to be achieved; always choose your happiness. I’d subsequently give more tips on how to find yourself.