Your Journey to Self-Discovery
Today more than ever before, people are questioning various aspects of their lives. Because of all that is happening – and has happened – recently in our world, fundamental questions about one’s life are being asked. Questions like the following:
“What do I really want?”
“How do I want to invest my working hours?”
“Who do I want to be around?”
“What’s truly important to me?”
“Where am I going?”
“Who am I, really?”
I’m being approached about coaching more than ever before, and one of the primary reasons is this contemplative period in human history. People are searching for meaning unlike ever before and they’re either not sure how to begin the process, or they simply want someone to objectively help guide them through this path to self-discovery.
Although it might not be easy, either practically or emotionally, you need to know this process is healthy. It can help you get clarity about the life you really want to live, will make you more confident about your ability to achieve it and, ultimately, can provide you the peace, contentment, and happiness you may be seeking.
Going through a journey to self-discovery will help provide answers to the questions above, and provide clarity around the appropriate direction for your life. Here are some things you can do to begin that journey:
1. Visualize your ideal life. Your journey to self-discovery begins by determining how you want your life to look. Imagine you have a blank canvas, and you get to create the kind of life you want to live. If life were perfect, what would it look like?
Take out a blank sheet of paper, or your journal, and begin writing down what you want from life, and where you want to be in five years, and in ten years. Write down as many ideas as you can think of, as you visualize your ideal life.
2. Identify your strengths. Each of us is uniquely gifted, and possesses certain strengths that set us apart from others. When you understand your strengths, you can focus more clearly on what you’re good at.
There are a number of assessments that can help you identify your strengths. My favorite is the CliftonStrengths Assessment. (Note: This is not an affiliate link, and I am not associated with CliftonStrengths.) I’ve used CliftonStrengths myself, and with my family members, friends and clients for years.
Once you discover your strengths, you can use that knowledge to maximize your potential. This is also a powerful tool to learn the strengths of those around you, so you can help support them in achieving their full potential.
3. Find your passion. If life were perfect, and you were enthusiastic and excited about something, or about what you were doing, what would that look like? What is it that you love to do?
“Do something you love to do, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” This is cliché, but it speaks to passion in your profession. What a wonderful feeling it is to work at something you enjoy so much that you’d gladly do it for free because of the intrinsic reward, and yet you actually get paid for doing it! Think about what that job, career or business might be for you.
Finding your passion isn’t just about enjoying work, though. What excites you and brings joy to your personal life? What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working? What don’t you love to do? Taking time to think about and write down responses to these questions will give you a better understanding of the things that make you who you are.
4. Clarify your values. Values are the principles or qualities that are important to you. They represent your highest priorities and your most deeply held beliefs – the things that really matter to you. Ultimately, values provide clear rules and guidelines for how you live, and are the driving force behind your actions and decisions.
When you know your values, they will lead you to live a life consistent with what’s important to you. They will also make it easier to say “no” to the things that don’t support or serve you. Living a life in alignment with your values will lead, ultimately, to a more fulfilling life.
I devote an entire chapter in my book, Life Lessons, to living a values-based life. Once you identify your values, you’ll want to compare your core values to your goals. If your values and goals clash, it can cause frustration because of the tension between the two. If that’s the case, then you’ll want to reexamine and/or rewrite your goals so they are properly aligned with your values.
Your journey to self-discovery isn’t an exercise you can sit down and crank out in an hour. It’s an ongoing process that you will ponder and come back to again and again. These exercises are a great start, though, as you continue to think about and discover the life you’re meant to live.
