6 Steps To Help You Manuever The Road To Self-Discovery

The road to self-discovery is paved with potholes and bear traps.

Seriously, the road to self-discovery is a road that we all must travel in life, and the earlier you start down it, the easiest things seem to go. The road isn’t easy, though its full of ways to confuse you, make you think, make you reflect. It’s full of moments that make you stop and feel like your soul has been punched out of you and moments when it seems like you can understand the glory of the universe. The end result, though, the end of the journey when all of your selves merge into one and all your pieces are in the box in the best way they can be, is the best feeling in the world.

Here are six tips to getting past those potholes and lessen the intensity of those bear traps.

1. Journaling

The only way to know where you are going and where you have been is to write it all down. The moments that make you feel something, the ones that make you feel nothing, the words that stood out to you, the words that wounded you. All of them, all of these are important puzzle pieces to help you discover who you truly are and find out what that picture looks like.

2. Finding the strength

When those times come when you have parts of your self discovered, others will come along to challenge you to change. In these moments, you choose to yield to the changes or stand steadfast. Strength is the key to those steadfast moments, and strength is the only way to see yourself through when others are pushing and demanding you to change. The art is knowing the difference between what can and cannot change, what should and should not change, and simply what you don’t want to change. Strength is the guiding principle here.

3. Listening

We all know what it means to listen to others, but while on this road you must know how to listen to yourself. Listen to your heart, your soul, the tiny voice inside of your head. They have the keys and the map to the end of the road.

4. Finding a creative outlet

On the path to self discovery, one of the best things you can do for yourself is finding a creative outlet. This is especially true if some of the other tips such as journaling are not working out for you. A creative outlet can allow your inner voice to come out in a way that it may have not been able to do so before. A creative outlet also gives you a way to bring yourself back down to equilibrium after experiencing a pothole.

5. Observing

This goes hand in hand with listening. While you have to have the ability to listen to yourself and your inner voice, you also have to be able to notice everything around you. Notice what the world is telling you, notice what friends and family members are telling you, notice what the universe is telling you. All of these are potential clues and avenues for you to pursue on your self-discovery journey.

6. Embracing yourself

This is the final step on the road to self discovery. After the tips lead you down the path and give you the road map, you arrive at the end of the road. When you arrive, you will find yourself at the end. Your job is to embrace that you. For what it is, for what it isn’t. For what you want it to be, for what you don’t want it to be. Embrace it and that person. It took awhile to meet them, after all. Once you master this step, you can figure out the next steps yourself, and maybe even begin the journey again.

By listening, finding the strength, and journaling, finding a creative outlet, observing, and in the end embracing who you are, you will be able to walk the path to self-acceptance and find one version of yourself waiting for you at the end.