5 Lessons Learned From Deeper Self-Exploration
Here are 5 lessons that I’ve learnt from another year of personal growth.
Know your own limits. Saying ‘yes’ and trying to please others whilst creating conflict within yourself is challenging. At times, when things are really busy and I feel overwhelmed, I have to remind myself to say ‘no’ to people and know that it will be ok to say no. I have to respect my personal space and protect myself from others. I recognize that there is so much going on within myself and so much to process that I have to give myself the time, permission and space to know that my brain may not process everything right away. And that’s ok — because that’s my personal journey and no one else’s journey. It’s ok to take the time to figure things out for me.
Setting boundaries can be tricky because it’s like a muscle that needs to be tested and strengthened time and time again. Remember what you need to do for yourself, and trust that it’s the right thing to do for your personal journey.
2. Accept and respect your own journey. If you’re not able to do something that someone else needs you to do, accept that sometimes you will disappoint others. You don’t need to say yes to every request. When you say ‘no,’ others will have to find another solution, sometimes a more empowering solution to enable them to become more creative problem solvers. You can stand up for what you believe in and what you want. Everything else will work itself out when you shift your mindset.
3. Continually focus on what you want instead of what you don’t want. As humans, we like to stay in our comfort zone and don’t want to change because of the fear of the unknown. If we keep focusing on the things that we don’t want, we will get more of what we don’t want. It is important to figure out specifically what you want and go after it with certainty and commitment. Once you know what it is that you want, the world will move people, resources and opportunities to support you with what you desire.
4. Know when to separate your life from other peoples’ lives — ie. ‘It’s not your circus.’ Other people’s issues and dramas are not yours. Don’t let their problems define you. You are not responsible for other people’s problems. Know that you are strong enough and worthy enough to focus on your own life. You can choose to focus on improving your life with every challenge and setback.
5. Acknowledge your own feelings — Accept yourself for all the parts that make up who you are. Sometimes, acknowledging what you feel and expressing it out loud can be freeing. Note that having a safe space to express yourself is also key. Accepting yourself first creates space to accept others for who they are and what they are genuinely feeling.
Facing challenges head-on and confronting them is a valuable long-term strategy to build your inner skills to keep getting better and stronger every day. Keep going; even if you fail, you can always try again.
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Photo by Wayne Robinson on Unsplash
