Open up your mind, heart to find yourself
"Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."
- Matthew 10:39
"I'm trying to find myself," I was recently told by two significant people in my life. This made me think about the times of self-discovery I had in my own life. For those who are on their journey to find themselves, as a life coach, I have a few helpful tips.
Finding the real you is about going through a time of self-discovery. It's learning about your values morally and spiritually to help you with mental and emotional growth. It involves changing and developing new perceptions and identifying deceptive thought patterns and ideas you've embraced that have kept you in destructive patterns.
It's about finding your talents and gifts that can lead you to your career path; however, this can change throughout your life.
Begin with prayer. Ask God to show you things that are hidden and kept secret from you. Be patient, because he will.
Then look at your life experiences. They are unique to only you. When exploring your negative past, don't allow yourself to wallow in self-pity. See if there are any lessons you've learned or need to learn from them.
Don't look to another person to complete you. This is an exercise in self-discovery. Only Jesus has a specific plan to fulfill your purpose.
Expand past your comfort zone and try a few new things to find what you like and dislike. Go places you've never been, take a class for fun, read an article each day that deals with biblical principles and spiritual insights - something for your physical health and well-being. Put new insights and understanding into practice.
Taking a personality test can be fun and help you discover strengths and weaknesses.
A life coach or mentor can give you the encouragement you need. Scripture informs us to encourage and build one another up.
Solitude also is good to rejuvenate you. Carve out some alone time each day to reflect on your relationship with God and your dreams. This can help you tap into your creative side.
Stay true to yourself. This means stick to your core moral and spiritual values. Don't follow your feelings, but allow wisdom and common sense to rule your decisions.
Be kind, generous and polite. Help and serve others. Jesus tells us that losing our self-centered wants and needs and breaking bad habits and wrong beliefs is how we find a happy life.
Remember, life is full of twists and turns and you will always be discovering new things about yourself. Embrace each opportunity to reach your full potential.
• Annettee Budzban is an author, speaker, life coach and nurse. She will be at Barnes an Nobles in Lincolnshire Thursday, Aug. 17, from 7-8 p.m. to sign the newly released Chicken Soup book for nurses. Contact Annettee at AnnetteeBudzban@aol.com.