Searching for inner peace and fulfillment is easier when we understand ourselves. Finding yourself doesn’t have to be complicated. It is a process of getting to know your own personal qualities and how you would like to interact with the wider world. Jonas Gerard, an artist from Asheville, North Carolina, believes that inner self in the soul to expression. When the soul comes through, it is the voice of the inner self.
Below, Jonas Gerard explains how you can attempt to find your inner self:
1. Your Identities Are Not the Sum of Your Life
Everyone has many identities they carry through life. One woman can be a mother, an employee, a daughter, a sister, and a best friend. To each person in your life, you may fulfill a different role. Your personal identity goes far beyond these simple categories, though. To find your inner self, you need to let go of these constructs and look at yourself without the lens of others’ expectations. Turn inwards and try to find what makes your heart and your soul truly unique.
Try to make goals for yourself that go beyond your identities. For example, if your line of work requires that you take actions that do not mesh with your ideas, consider finding another way. Living in conflict with your inner principles will only cause confusion and a lack of fulfillment. Stay true to who you are on the inside.
2. Be Self-Aware
When you are looking inwards to understand your inner self better, take the time to understand your emotions and your reactions to events. Are you a highly reactive person, or do you take things with a grain of salt? Getting a sense of your personal emotional landscape will bring you closer to self-understanding. Accept who you are without judgment and try to understand yourself rather than forcing yourself into a certain mold. Be true to who you are and let your heart speak freely.
3. Live Outside Your Comfort Zone
We all have tendencies to surround ourselves with things that are comfortable and safe. It is important to experience new things to find yourself. Sometimes the heart doesn’t know what it wants until it finds what it wants. If you never explore the world, you may miss crucial parts of yourself.
4. Know Your Values and Beliefs
Searching for yourself means looking for your motivating values and beliefs. It is easy to lose sight of these essentials in today’s fast-paced and stressful world. Take the time to consider your true motivations based on your inner principles. For example, if you value social justice, consider volunteering for worthy organizations that will help further your values in the world.
5. Create a Timeline of Your Life
It is helpful to sketch out the major events of your life and think about how each event has shaped who you are as a person. Consider both positive and negative life changes. Be ready to look at the painful events in your life because these are often the events that have the biggest impact upon your soul. Think about how these events made their mark on you. If they are negative experiences, think about how you have overcome them. If you have not yet overcome them, think of ways you can compensate for the pain.
6. Trust your Instincts
When searching for your inner self, tap into your intuition. You will be able to feel the truth. It can be challenging to let go of your preconceptions. Letting your instincts guide you can set you on the right path. Use your instincts to decide whether situations are right for you. When you rely on your instincts, you can avoid getting into situations that conflict with your inner self.
7. Think About How to Move Forward
When you have come to understand yourself, think about how you can make changes in your life that will bring you into alignment with your deepest goals and values. Living in conflict with yourself will only leave you unsatisfied.
Jonas Gerard offers these seven ways to get in touch with your inner self. Take the time to meditate on each of these topics, and you will find it easier to define yourself.
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