Welcome to the part two of The Sanity Plan Principles series. The second principle is:
What is “Discovering Yourself?”
When you turn your attention inward to study your own thoughts, feelings, motivations, and preferences, you are “discovering yourself.”
Figuring out who we are is a lifelong journey. Partly because the introspection and self-knowledge takes time, and partly because we change so much throughout the course of our lives.
How do you “Discover yourself?”
This brings us back to the first principle, Being Present. In order to learn more about ourselves, we must be willing to slow down and listen.
Listen to and acknowledge our own thoughts and feelings.
Ask yourself questions. Did you notice a particular reaction you had? Ask yourself, “Why did I react that way?”
Pay attention to your habits and preferences. Do you like to do things in a particular order? Why is that?
Do you prefer to do certain things at certain times of day? Why is that?
How does “Discovering Ourselves” help us?
Self-knowledge is a powerful tool. Armed with an understanding of yourself, you can make better decisions that more closely align with your needs.
Knowing who you are helps you communicate more clearly in existing relationships. It is also important when developing new relationships in terms of the people you choose and the way you engage them.
Understanding your unique preferences helps you organize your day and your life in a way that best suits you – whether it is the type of work you do, when and how you complete certain tasks, how you orchestrate family/social time, etc.
My experience
As my mother often reminds me, I am on a journey of “self-discovery.” I tend to have a natural tendency towards this as I am very introspective. I am fascinated to learn about my inner workings, and I also enjoy learning about what makes other people tick. It was part of my drive in pursuing a BA in Psychology.
The more I know about myself, the better equipped I am to handle whatever life throws my way. I have identified certain buttons I struggle with, which makes it easier to realize when I am falling back on an old habit or way of thinking. The ability to recognize a self-characteristic is the first step in being able to use tactics to change it or find a creative solution around it.
Not all characteristics are “bad” per se. I have recently discovered that I am a highly sensitive person. While I love to feel and experience, sometimes it can be overwhelming to others. Because I am aware of this in myself and its effect on others, I can control how much of that sensitivity I reveal.
Or, I am very aware of the fact that I do my best work in the morning when I am fresh and my mind is clear. So, I orchestrate my day in a way that I can dedicate that highly focused time to work or creativity.
What methods do you use in order to learn more about yourself? How does it help you to restore Sanity in your life?
Next principle: Build Your Network
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The Story
Surprisingly. My answer was actually “no.” No, I am not ready to tear myself apart and rebuild right now. The biggest reason is the kids. They need me right now, they need me to help them learn how to communicate and regulate the overwhelming emotions of toddlerhood.
One of the best ways to stay focused on improving your life is to define a set of principles to live by. These principles then become the default for when you are not sure on a decision or path to take.