Take the time to find out who you are
"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.
Sometimes we think we're too stressed to take a closer look at ourselves, but it's actually a great time to take a look at yourself. I started my search when I became housebound with an illness and I haven't stopped since.
No matter where you are in your life, it's never too late to embrace your best self.
Finding yourself consists of your attitudes. Observe how well you handle stress. Think about things you're good at - your talents and skills are specific and unique to you and can lead you to an enjoyable career. But, remember, your path can change throughout your life.
Your authentic self also consists of your spirituality, which is your belief in God and the morals and values you hold dear.
Begin with prayer. Ask God to show you things that are hidden and kept in secret from you. Ask Him to lead you to new insights and help you put them into practice. Knowing what to do is one thing; carrying them through and doing them is another. Each phase of life brings new changes.
Reflect on your life experiences. They are unique to only you. When exploring the negative ones from your 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, as well as the ways you might have grown from them.
Don't look to another person to complete you. This is an exercise in self-discovery.
Expand past your comfort zone and try a few new things to find what you like and dislike. Go places you've never been, or take a class at your local library, park district or community college for the fun of it. Don't be upset if you don't enjoy it. It is part of discovering what you like.
Keep in mind, just because you didn't like something before, it doesn't mean you still won't at this stage in life. Be willing to try something more than once, unless you're really sure it's not your thing.
Reading articles or watching programs on a variety of topics helps. Choose something that deals with biblical principles and spiritual insights to help you grow spiritually.
Themes on health and well-being are enlightening to help you discover how to prevent or detect the causes of those aches and pains.
Subjects on relating with others are extremely beneficial as we search out personal and business relationships. This can help you select friends and associates who are a good fit for you.
Taking a personality test can be fun and help you discover strengths and weaknesses. This aids you to understand why you think like you do and helps you understand what you're good at.
Times of solitude can be used to guide 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 and reflect on your likes and dislikes. During times like this, you can develop what some term as a bucket list - places you'd like to visit and things you'd like to do.
Be kind, generous and polite. Help and serve others. This is important for everyone. Jesus Christ informed us centuries ago that losing our self-centered desires and wrong beliefs is how we find ourselves and experience a happy life.
Life is full of twists and turns and you will always be discovering new things. Be gentle with yourself when you make mistakes - they are also part of finding yourself.
This year, with restrictions on summer activities, is a great time to relax and be yourself.
• Annettee Budzban is a Christian author, speaker, life coach and nurse. She is available to speak at your event, conference or group meeting. She can be contacted at Annetteebudzban@aol.com or (847) 543-841.