5 Self-Discovery Questions to Help You Get to Know YOU
How well do you know yourself? If I were to ask you to describe yourself, what would you say?
For many reasons, you can lose a sense of yourself as a PERSON and get lost in your jobs and titles. Maybe you’ve tried to change who you are for the sake of a relationship (and I’m talking about trying to change who you are to make someone happy, as opposed to trying to make changes to be the best version of yourself). Maybe you had babies young and feel like you missed out on those formative young years to “find yourself”. Maybe you’re just so exhausted and burned out that you don’t have time or energy for much introspection, and you’re just focused on survival. You might even feel like a mystery to yourself!
Why does it matter?
Self-discovery might not feel like a priority when you’re “in the trenches” of life. Is there really a practical purpose to being able to answer the question: “Who AM I?”
Turns out, yes! Figuring out who you are at your core: what makes you “tick”, what brings you happiness and contentment, what motivates you, is essential to figuring out what self-care you require to be your best at all your jobs (wife, mother, career, etc). And knowing your true self better will help you in making decisions about your priorities and what you should (and shouldn’t) take on in your life. And don’t worry, your true self hasn’t been lost, it’s IN there, and your experiences have helped to form YOU.
Self-Discovery is a process. Here are 5 questions to start you on the journey! Take some quiet, focused time to consider your answers. These are private, just for you, so don’t worry about how you “sound” or what others would think of you. Be honest with yourself, so you can learn about yourself honestly and authentically.
What brings you joy? The things that involuntarily bring a smile to your face, or feel you with a sense of contentment, can give you a lot of clues about YOU. And they’re definitely things that you might consider incorporating into your life and self-care routine on a regular basis!
What do you wish you had more time to do? Giving the answer to this question some serious thought can help you learn more about your personality and disposition, your priorities, and your needs. Don’t worry about sounding selfish.
When do you feel the most like yourself? This could be a specific situation, or more general. If you feel like you never feel like yourself, try to imagine a situation or place where you would. What do those details tell you?
What are your deepest values? These are the values you live by, your most solid convictions. They shape your life choices and priorities. Are you being true to them?
What would you regret not doing, being, or having in your life? The answers to this question may well point back to the previous questions and should spark some real inner dialog about who you are, what you’re doing, how you’re spending your time, and where you’re going with your life.
Some of these answers change with time, as you grow and gather life experience. Others may be central to your being. Meet yourself where you are at right NOW, get to know yourself a little better, and remember to be kind to yourself. There is only one YOU, and she should be cherished and respected!
