How To Know Who You Are: 14 Tips to Discover Your True Self
If you have ever wondered how to find out who you are, this article is for you.
According to one study, knowing yourself better can help you make better judgments and achieve your goals. Beyond the realm of science, the importance of understanding who you are is acknowledged by everyday people and popular culture celebrities alike.
Knowing who you are is the best knowledge a person can have. Know your goals, desires, values, demands, standards, what you won’t accept, and what you are willing to die for. It defines your personality.
Remember that as you become older and as you come into contact with new people and situations, who you are changes. If you have trouble identifying yourself, try self-reflection to find your true self.
How To Know Who You Are:
1. Identify what makes you happy and what does not.
People often go to great lengths to do what they love. While it is essential to identify what makes us happy or enjoyable, it’s also helpful to understand what makes us unhappy or dissatisfied. One of the first steps in self-reflection is to sit down and make a list of all of your likes and dislikes.
Your preferences and likes are often used to define who you are to other people. They are things that can separate or unite us from others. Understanding these factors lets you choose what you want to pursue in life and what you want to avoid. Knowing your likes and dislikes can help you choose a profession, where to live, hobbies, and the people you spend time with.
This exercise will test whether your tastes and preferences are too firm. Have you closed minded? Is there something you want to attain or try that goes against what you think you should be doing? Gather up the courage to try something entirely new. You may discover a new side of yourself.
2. Reflect on your talents and weaknesses.
Understanding your strengths and weaknesses, and what you like and do not like, can provide invaluable insight into who you are. On a separate piece of paper, list your strengths and problems.
Most people’s strengths or abilities most likely coincide with their likes, and their dislikes most likely coincide with their dislikes. Suppose you love sweets and cakes, and your strong point is baking; the two qualities complement one another. On the other hand, you may hate sports and find physical coordination or endurance to be a struggle.
Oftentimes, the things that are hard to do become things you hate because you are inherently not good at them. It explains why we like or dislike something.
Knowing this stuff is important in itself. However, you can go further and make a decision if you want to focus on improving any of the things that you find difficult, or if you want to devote your efforts to an area that you’re already good at.
3. Think about what brings you satisfaction.
We can learn a lot about ourselves when we are at our best, but we can even learn a lot about ourselves when we are down. Think about the last time you were depressed or stressed. What kind of comfort are you searching for during this difficult time? What are you doing to make yourself feel better?
Knowing what you are comfy with says a lot about your personality. Chances are, you turn to the same people over and over to lift the mood or distract yourself from a problem. You can watch your favourite movie or read your favourite book. Food may be a source of comfort for you, who are a typical emotional eater.
4. Write down your thoughts and feelings.
Become an observer of your thoughts and emotions to better understand yourself. Do this for a week or so to better understand what’s going through your mind or to identify common emotional states. Are you thinking positively? Do you think negatively?
Analyzing your diary can reveal every kind of subtle comments about the way in life you want to take that you were not aware of. You could write about wanting to travel, someone you admire, or a new hobby you’d like to try.
Take a moment after finding a recurring theme in your notebook to consider what these ideas and emotions mean—and whether you want to act on them.
5. Take a personality test.
Another way to find out more about yourself is to take an online personality test. Some people hate being labeled, while others find that labeling themselves and their habits rules their lives. Free online personality tests can be useful for people who value learning about themselves by seeing how they relate to (or differ from) other people.
Personality test websites ask you to answer a series of questions about your preferences and how you see the world or yourself. The program then analyzes your answers to determine your personality type, which can help you understand what hobbies or professions you might be good at, in addition to how you interact with other people.
Remember that no free online assessment can be considered entirely correct. These tests can provide you with a general idea of who you are. If you want a more in-depth examination of your personality, you should consult a clinical psychologist.
6. Dive deep to find your core values.
Your values are the fundamental principles that guide your actions, behavior and attitude. Those are ideals or principles that you’re going to strive for or strive for: family, equality, justice, peace, gratitude, dependability, integrity, financial security, honesty, etc. You cannot tell if you are making decisions that are consistent with your core values (1) if you don’t know what it’s. You can identify your core values by doing the following activities:
Think of two people you admire. What qualities do you value in these people?
Think of a time when you were really pleased with yourself. What’s the most significant thing that happened? Did you help someone? Did you complete the task? Are you defending your own rights or those of others?
Think about which issues in your city or around the globe you are most passionate about. Examples include government, environment, education, feminism, crime, and other issues.
Consider three items of what you would save if your house burned down (assuming all living things were safe). Why do you keep these three items?
7. Think about whether you live a life you are pleased with.
Are you living a life you are pleased with? If you find that you did not, I hope you have the courage to start over. Do you believe that if you died today, you would leave behind the inheritance you wanted?
8. Think about what you would do if money were no object.
During childhood, we frequently set ambitious goals for ourselves. As we become older and are more influenced by society, our aspirations change.
Think of a time when you had an irresistible desire to attain something, but you put it off because there was no time or you did not have enough money. Make a list of how you would spend your day if you did not have to worry about your financial situation. What kind of life will you lead?
9. Consider what your life would be like if you were not afraid to fail.
We often miss wonderful opportunities or refuse to take risks for fear of failing miserably. If you do not try to overcome self-doubt, it can define your whole life. Unfortunately, it can even have a significant impact on the number of “what ifs” you experience as you age. If you feel that the fear of failure is preventing you from becoming the person you want to be, consider these strategies:
Know that failure is critical. When we make mistakes, we can evaluate our actions and improve our approach. Failure allows us to grow and learn.
Visualize your accomplishments. One technique for overcoming the fear of failure is to consistently see yourself achieving your goals.
Keep up the persistence. Despite setbacks, do not stop pursuing your goals. We often achieve our greatest aspirations just when we are ready to give up. Don’t let small setbacks make you lose sight of the bigger picture.
10. Ask how others see you as a person.
After asking yourself these additional questions, approach a few people you care about and ask them who we think they’re. Their assessment may be a list of traits or an example of a single event that, from their perspective, sums up us as a person.
Reflect on the responses of diverse relatives or friends after you ask them what they think. What are people saying about you? Did their conclusion surprise you? Are you bothered? Does this opinion reflect who you want to be or how you see yourself?
If you value the views of these people, you may be asking yourself what you need to do to attain greater harmony between the way they see you and the way you see yourself. You may have a distorted view of yourself and need to rethink your behavior.
11. Determine if you’re an introvert or an extrovert.
One of the criteria for an online personality test is whether you are an introvert or an extrovert. Carl Jung used these terms to describe where you get your energy in life—from your internal or external environment.
Introverts are people who get energy from exploring their inner world of thoughts, ideas, memories, and feelings. These people love isolation and may spend time with a person or two with whom they’ve a bond. They may be contemplative or reserved.
An extrovert is a person who gets their energy from interacting with other people in the outside world. They enjoy participating in diverse activities and interacting with people from all walks of life. They come alive when they’re in the presence of individuals. They may take action before they’ve really thought about their options.
Many common interpretations describe introverts as quiet and reserved, while extroverts are seen as friendly and extroverted. This interpretation is inaccurate because most researchers believe that these traits occur on a continuum. Neither is strictly introverted or extroverted, but rather leans towards one or the other depending on the situation.
12. Know what type of friend you are.
Knowing who you are also requires understanding your expectations, emotions, and behaviors related to friendship. Think about your previous friendships.
Would you rather talk to your friends every day or sometimes? Do you schedule get-togethers often, or are you the only one they invite? Do you value spending time with your friends? Do you reveal sensitive things about yourself in conversations with your friends, or do you keep them to yourself? Do you comfort or encourage your friends when they’re depressed? Do you give your all to help those in need? Do you set the right expectations for friendships (for example, do you expect your colleagues to be around or to be just your friends)?
After asking yourself these questions, consider whether you are contented with a friend like you. If not, talk to your closest friends and ask them for advice on how you can be a better friend in the future.
13. Think about the people around you.
You are said to be the average of your five closest friends (2). This concept is based on the law of averages, which states that the outcome of an event will be based on the average of all possible events. This principle also applies to relationships. The people you spend the most time with have an enormous influence on you, whether you like it or not. Carefully analyze your closest relationships, because they also shape who you are.
Despite this, you are an independent person, capable of making your own decisions and drawing your own conclusions. However, the people around you have a subtle influence on your life in diverse ways. They introduce you to new food, clothing, literature and music. They may recommend you to potential employers. They may stay up late with you at parties. They may cry on your shoulder after a breakup.
Are you able to see aspects of yourself that come from those closest to you? Simply put, if you surround yourself with people who are cheerful and optimistic, you’ll feel and behave accordingly. If you spend most of your time with negative and toxic people, their views can seep into your life. If you want to know who you are, look around you.
14. Think about what you do when you’re alone.
What you do with other people says a lot about you, but so does what you do alone. Our social groups often have a powerful influence on the way we think, behave and feel. However, when we are truly alone, we are closest to our true self, which is uninfluenced by society.
How do you spend your time when you’re alone? Are you unhappy when you’re alone? Are you happy? Do you enjoy reading in silence? Do you listen to loud music and dance in front of the mirror? Are you dreaming of your wildest fantasies?
Think about these facts and what they say about you.
I want to thank you for taking the time to read my article on how to find out who you are. I actually hope that its content has been of good help to you.
