What Is Self-Discovery?

WHAT IS SELFDISCOVERY?

BY SARA KATHERINE

Personal development has been growing in popularity within the last couple of years. Whether it’s books, podcasts, or inspirational documentaries, people are seeking a better understanding of who they are and how they can improve their life. A huge part of this personal growth movement is self-discovery.

Traditionally, self-discovery is simply known as discovering something about yourself, which is easy enough to understand. Most people associate self-discovery with taking a personality test or doing some deep soul searching to figure out your dream job.

However, self-discovery goes way beyond just finding out your personality type or your perfect job. In fact, selfdiscovery is almost every aspect of personal development. While yes, the previous examples do fall under this umbrella, what many don’t know is just how deep selfdiscovery can go when exploring these parts of personal development. Let’s get down to basics and explore all of the different exciting aspects of self-discovery:

Discovering Your Passions

Is there anything in your life that you can happily spend time on for hours and completely lose track of your day? Discovering your passions is one of the most exciting parts of self-exploration because there can be a wide range of possibilities that you aren’t even aware of yet. Plus, they can change and develop as you evolve.

If you’re not quite sure if you have any passions, simply take 10 minutes a day to explore something that interests you. This could be anything, like researching a new hobby or signing up for an art class. Maybe you invested in a fancy camera in the past and it’s been collecting dust for too long? Take it out, look up some online tutorials and start dedicating some time to see if this interest transforms into something bigger.

Pursuing new passions is a wonderful and exciting way to learn more about yourself and bring more joy and positive change into your life.

Finding Out What Motivates You

For those days you feel stuck in a rut and need that kick-start towards productivity, it’s helpful to have an arsenal of tactics that help you feel motivated again. Do you know any quotes that resonate with you? Maybe some songs help light the fire? How about meditation techniques to help you clear your mind and find focus for productivity?

There is an abundance of articles online about finding motivation, but only you can discover what truly resonates and works for you the best.

Figuring Out Your Purpose

What are you meant to do in your lifetime? This doesn’t necessarily mean what you are “meant to do” for your career, but more of what purpose do you feel you need to serve to make an impact in the world?

Now I know that sounds rather intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be scary. Making an impact during your lifetime could be something even as simple as reaching out to one person to help brighten their day with your radiant smile and positivity. Sure, some people may find their purpose to be something huge like selling all their belongings and moving to another country to help conserve the environment, and that’s great too! Not one person’s purpose is better than another’s. What matters is you are creating a positive difference and feeling aligned with your soul in the process.

Discovering your purpose doesn’t come at any specific time in life. Don’t pressure yourself to have it all figured out right now. Regardless of age, you have so much life left to explore. I recommend simply following what feels good and even asking your friends what types of activities help you shine like the beautiful human you are. Stay curious, and you’ll never know what you’ll discover about yourself.

Learning What You Need In Relationships

Whether you’re in a relationship with a significant other or spend time with important friendships, you will have needs and expectations that are different than anyone else. This is another part of you that can change over time, learning more about who you are and what you want in life requires positive people who fit into the life you’re living. This is why you may gain and lose relationships with others as you grow older. Certain people fit into specific times in your life, and when you grow into a new stage, some friends may not fit your new needs.

If you’re unsure about what you need and if your relationships are a positive fit in your life, take some time to evaluate your values. What’s important to you in life? What do you think creates a healthy friendship? Once you’ve pinpointed these needs, take a look at the people in your life and see if they fit into what you’ve written down. You may discover some of your relationships aren’t serving you in the way you need.

Discovering Your Mental Capabilities

Mental health is slowly becoming more and more acceptable to talk about on a more casual level than in the years past, which is fantastic progress for such an important topic. With that in mind, now is the best time to spend time reflecting on your mental health and capabilities.

What does this mean, you ask? Well, while some people may be aware of any mental health issues or struggles with anxiety or depression, we ALL need to be in tune with our mind and heart. When you’re feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or simply a bit off, those are signs that your mind, heart, and soul are trying to let you know you need to take time for self-care.

Keep an eye on your triggers and don’t be afraid to turn inward when you’re feeling off or overwhelmed. Learning more about yourself and your mental capabilities will help you not only feel more connected with your inner self but also create an effective strategy for preventing future breakdowns or simply feel more mentally balanced on a more consistent basis.

Essentially, self-discovery is an all-encompassing journey of getting to know yourself better, what makes you tick, and how you go about life.

Sara Katherine (@sarakatherineblog) is an author and selfdiscovery coach. This article has been adapted from a longer feature appearing on www.sara-katherine.com.