The journey towards Self-Discovery

"Finding your way is a journey. Even though it is not an easy one, it is well worth it." 

I once knew a woman who put on an act for the entire world to see. She, like many others, hid behind a mask which was painted in anger/regret/pain. Throughout her life, she never really grasped one of the many important factors of life. WHO AM I? With this loss of identity, loss of happiness and hope, lack of support and love, she became distant and her path towards self-discovery was at a stagnant.

Self-discovery and "knowing thyself" is something so essential that we all should live by. As each year passes, we get a deeper glimpse of who we are and who we are supposed to be. Obstacles and struggles tend to get in the way and distract us from the bigger picture. At times, self-reflection can be painful and might leave us revisiting a dark place that we do not wish to see. Ignoring the past and erasing memories is not healthy nor is it smart. The past is necessary in that it teaches us valuable lessons; lessons that are always learned. 

We as people go through many instances which formulate us into the people we are today, sometimes for the good and sometimes for the bad. In the end we all have a choice to either embrace such hardships/achievements or make excuses.

Self-discovery. I think that the first step in self-discovery is asking yourself, what makes you happy? Some might think this is silly, however, a few months ago I was asked this question and could not answer it. We live in a world where society, the media...etc dictates to some degree how we live our lives. We often get wrapped up in the lives of others (friends, family, REALITY TELEVISION shows) that we forget about ourselves. 

The main focus is then revolved around these other people and not yourself. The focus then becomes, "how can I be better or as good as Sally? How can I be as fabulous as shandy? Look at what Sally has achieved. I want what Shandy/Sally has". 

"You can't please people" In reality, you really cannot please people nor should you be worried about pleasing another life. Our focus tends to drift and somehow we get lost. We get lost in all this hassle and become confused and lose sight of who we are.

Have you ever asked yourself: What do I stand for? Am I afraid of what others will think of me if I do......? Am I afraid that if I show who I really am, I will not be accepted? Do I do certain things primarily to receive attention from others? 

What in the hell does all this have to do with Self-Discovery you might be wondering to yourself. If you do things which are solely focused on pleasing others/receiving approval from others, unsure of what you stand for, afraid to formulate your opinions, have no idea of what makes you happy, well you might want to take some time and self reflect. Self-discovery is all about finding out who you are as a person. Finding your way in this world, finding out who you are is the most promising reward that you might ever receive in life. 

The young woman with whom I mentioned earlier was afraid to know who she was and quite frankly did not know how to surpass her past. Her daily life was centered around her hurt and pain and she lost sight of her future/herself. She never really embraced who she was as a person, did not want to face her past, did not want to know who she truly was for the simple fact that her main focus lied on the following factor: hurt and pain. 

Sometimes I think she lived in fear that she was alone and that none of her family members truly cared for her. The truth is, none of her family members knew how to deal with her pain/hurt or how to console her because they had emotional/coping issues as well.  I wish that I could have taken away all her pain, but sadly you cannot help people who do not want to help themselves. The trials and tribulations that she suffered throughout her lifetime were horrible and she did not deserve them. The one thing that she was never really taught or understood was love. Self-love is important and is necessary in life; "to love yourself is the beginning of a life long romance."

In conclusion readers, life can sometimes hand us some real crappy cards. In the end, the strongest survive. Those that can embraces their hardships and struggles are the ones that come out on top and make a difference. To know who you are, REALLY KNOW WHO YOU ARE AS A PERSON, is simply amazing and is one journey that is not meant to be easy, however, in the end is well worth it.