Who am I as a person?
I came face to face with this question for the first time in elementary school when my class was asked to write on this topic for homework. Since I had never given this question much thought, I wrote simple things like “kind,” “friendly” or “honest.” Thinking back, I realize this question is a bit more complex.
Entering high school, the only thought on my mind was to “graduate and get into a good college,” which didn’t leave me any room to decide what I truly wanted, valued or wanted to do after high school. During my sophomore year, I stumbled upon self-discovery when I needed to do a TedTalk about a topic that interested me for Honors English. I learned that “ self-discovery” is the process of discovering yourself.
Jordan Tarver, editor at Forbes and the author of a best selling self-help book, stated, “Self-discovery is not a journey to discover someone new; it’s a journey to break down the barriers within yourself to discover your deepest truths. As you begin to invest time in learning about yourself, you’ll turn over new leaves that reveal your most authentic self—the person you deserve to be.”
Self-discovery describes the process of gathering knowledge on your abilities, character and feelings. During our lifespan we encounter many variables like people, situations, experiences, peer pressure, relationship issues of any kind and self identifying crisis. That being said, any person on this journey, disregarding age, can learn what they value, their needs and wants, a better understanding of their abilities, their character and their feelings.
Reflecting on my life, I learned I wasn’t really prioritizing myself and instead allowed myself to get treated badly during freshman year. I let myself get taken advantage of and degraded simply because I thought that was “friendship.” Self-discovery allowed me to discover that what I was facing wasn’t friendship and that I should put myself and my mental health first. Self-discovery was the best choice I ever made because it allowed me to live a healthier life mentally and physically.
Self-discovery differs for each person, but I recommend to start your journey with a commitment. Going through this journey will require you to focus and take action to prioritize your needs. You can’t make a change without putting the work in. During this journey you will reflect a lot on yourself, visualize the person you are and want to become, and allow your passions and interests to guide you.
Obviously, every person has different features and personalities, but when we evaluate our lives and think about what’s energizing and what’s not, self-discovery clarifies on what we want our future to look like by allowing us to perhaps find a more fulfilling career that we feel connected to or allow ourselves to realize and accept things that will move us physically, emotionally and mentally.
