How Many Times Do You Ask Yourself: Who Am I?

Sometimes we don’t realize it, but we are far from understanding who we really are. Our parents, colleagues and the society around us pretend to teach us how to live, by deliberately neglecting how these teachings have the potential to dim our true identity.

When this happens, we find ourselves on roads that someone else forced us to walk. We have to deal with life choices that probably don’t belong to us but to others. In essence, we are living someone else’s life.

At times we find ourselves giving up, when instead we should persevere; while other times we insist, when instead it would be better to let it go.

When no one teaches us how important is to recognize and value each aspect of ourselves, we risk to live life trying to be like others define us, or worse, trying to prove them wrong.

This focuses all our energy on our supposed “imperfections”, rather than asking ourselves the most important question:

Who am I?

Everyone, sooner or later, experiences some distressing moments where everything just doesn’t seem to make sense. When these moments present themselves, you start telling yourself: “I shouldn’t be here”, “Why am I still in this relationship?” or “I don’t like my job”.

These thoughts can be scary because, if materialized, they can subvert your equilibrium and your life as you know it. But those are also the exact intuitions you need to follow if you want to find your own path and live the life you desire.

To know yourself better every day, you don’t have to stop questioning why you do what you do.

What makes you feel alive?

Those are your interests, your passions and everything that makes you feel fulfilled and think about future projects you might undertake, both personal and professional.

Are there things you do with ease?

You probably haven’t noticed it, but you have a talent. There is something that you are good at more than anybody else. Work hard on your talent. Protect it and use it at your advantage.

Take a pen and paper

If there were no limits of time, money or fears, what are 30 things you would do right now? What are 30 things you want to have? Voilà! Now you have a list of things you are denying yourself.

Focus

You keep filling your time with short term objectives so that you don’t have to think. Try instead to spend some time with yourself. Give yourself the chance to question your life. Answer to your questions and build long-term life projects based on what you find.

Don’t stop being curious

Of yourself, of others and strangers. Without curiosity, there is no life.

What could you regret?

Imagine yourself in 40 years. Think about it and look back at your life. What are you disappointed about? For what would you say: “If only I could go back in time, I …”?

Now go back in time and start changing the life of your future you.

Remember that you are unique and that there’s no one and never will be anyone like you. Then, why not giving you the possibility to be who you should be?

What do you think? Who are you keeping locked up inside of you?