Photo by Maurício Mascaro

Confidence in knowing your true identity is the first step towards leading a healthy and prosperous life, realizing your limits, and pushing beyond them towards actual transformation.

The journey of self-discovery is the determination of an individual to know more about themselves, a spiritual sabbatical, beyond the labels and opinions of family, friends, and peers. Finding oneself is a universal path; cultures worldwide have created various methods and systems to help discover oneself and aid in an individual’s personal development. 

Still, in contemporary times, psychologists, educators, and counselors have convened, discussing ways to provide clarity and guide the process of self-discovery.

Self-discovery, or personal development, is embracing one’s full potential to pursue a better quality of life. It is one of the first steps to realizing your aspirations and achieving your goals. 

Recognizing personality types, appreciating your favorites, and generally knowing your limits are reasonable, but it’s entirely different from knowing yourself. 

True self-discovery is anchored on strict and comprehensive self-assessment; it begins with taking an honest look at where your life is currently and determining what factors are holding you back and which are pushing you forward. 

Self-discovery is asking yourself, “What am I waking up for?” or “What makes me happy?” or “Where will I be in the next decade?”

If you keep asking yourself these questions, you will understand more of yourself, which leads to discovering what elements are saturated in your life and what parts are missing.

Of course, it doesn’t just end there. Self-discovery is a lifelong process. It demands that you experience life, with all its struggles and triumphs, while taking the time to self-reflect and ask more about what will give you the highs and lows.

Before going on your journey of self-discovery, there are attributes you should be ready for:

• Be self-aware. Self-awareness is the ability to notice what makes you tick. You can be more attentive to your wants and needs and be more conscious of how you interact with life.
• Be introspective. Introspection is the ability to question yourself and examine your ideas and emotions. You can better engage with your thoughts and learn how to express yourself.
• Be composed. Composure is the ability to restrain your feelings and not be blinded by short-term pleasure. You know to be more patient, deliberate, and mindful with it.

Steps to Help Your Journey of Self-Discovery

Everyone should aspire to discover themselves, but it can be intimidating to take your first steps, and these are a few tips to help your journey:

• Be the best version of yourself each day. Self-discovery is a process and, as such, should be acted upon daily.
• Be open to new experiences. Knowing yourself is learning where your limits lie and how to step beyond them.
• Be proactive with your passions. Learn to lean into what makes you excited and enjoy the process.
• Be open-minded and learn from others. With the help of personal and powerful memoirs that illustrate the authors’ pursuits of self-discovery, like W. V. Lisare’s The Other Side of Fear, you can learn to find the confidence in knowing your true identity. 
• Be selective with the people around you. A critical part of self-discovery is associating yourself with people who are honest and supportive of your decisions.
• Be curious and always ask questions. There are things beyond your knowledge, and a part of learning is never to shy away from questions.
• Be positive. Self-discovery is an active process. Reward yourself after every bend because there is no good or bad end, only self-improvement.