The subtle art of Knowing thyself
Imagine an old wrinkly man rocking his chair with a pen and a paper in his hand, with a furrowed brow, trying to examine his life, but realizes he has lived a life without purpose — think of the overwhelming regret he will be filled with. Regret is the worst feeling a person can have while approaching the inevitable end of life’s journey. Finding a purpose comes with the responsibility of knowing yourself, but for most people that is the hardest adventure they can embark on.
Self-realization can prove difficult for some because it requires you to go within to discover yourself, and this is challenging when you have a tendency to be superficial. The term ‘knowing thyself’ doesn’t necessarily mean exploring your subconscious or finding the ‘whys’ of your actions. Basically, it means knowing your values, strength of character, and ultimately a sense of self-awareness.
Oftentimes, people have a perceived view about who you should be. Nevertheless, their perceived view will become your reality if you don’t know thyself.
A concrete illustration could be studying a course you do not want to study but you do it anyway because the world says it suits you. With this attitude, other people’s view of you will become a template on how you should behave and you begin to seek validation always.
Time and time again our mind turns out to be our own worst enemy rather than other people for it deceives if left unchecked. “You are not good enough” is a narrative formed by most minds which we end up believing. Believing otherwise is difficult when you are surrounded by people who suggest the former to you.
Peering within oneself is a whole lot easier for certain personalities. Most introverts and intuitive people fall under this category. ‘Old Souls’ can also be included for they are the most introspective humans. You need to walk on this path of self-reflection in order to shed all things that do not reflect who you are. When you finally recognize all these within, you become a more purposeful being. Your unique gift or talent will be finally unearthed.
Through personal struggles, I have found several introspective ways useful. Albeit I am still on my journey, struggling to find the lovely gift God has bestowed upon me — I have to share the little knowledge I have of it.
Know God
According to Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a human experience
Knowing God, to me, should be your utmost concern. We are spiritual beings made from the image of God hence to know God is to know ourselves. I cannot overemphasize how important it is to know the person that crafted us in his own likeness and ultimately knows every cell in our body. Knowing God will help you take giant strides on your quest to self-actualization.
Know your values
Having values is imperative for it keeps you accountable. If you are unsure, I will advise you to take a pen and a paper to check if you have any values you can put down.
Never compare
“Comparison is the death of joy.” This is one popular quote by Mark Twain that completely explains this point. Never compare yourself with another person because you are the only version of yourself which makes you extremely unique. It is completely okay and also normal to be different from others. Own your uniqueness, find yourself and become the best version of who you are.
Be patient with yourself when the angst tends to be beyond your control.
Grain of salt
Have a discerning character so you do not always conform to the words of others. Take people’s words with a grain of salt because it doesn’t affect you unless you allow it to. This should guide you on how to listen to your thoughts because you are not your thoughts just because they live rent-free in your head.
Succinctly, remember who you are — daughters and sons of God. This alone makes you royalty so have what they call holy pride. Man know thyself, so you don’t rely on others or seek validation to form who you are.
