How to Find Yourself in the World of Self Templates

In the world where we are constantly bombarded with information, expectations, ‘must-haves’ and ‘must-bes’ it can sometimes be difficult to know who you really are and what you really want from life. Perhaps you’ve grown up under the influence of your family’s or friends’ expectations, maybe you feel that society has already prescribed the future you should have, and it rankles at you. It is perfectly okay to feel that way, but it doesn’t have to define what kind of person you should ultimately become.

Being young is all about exploring the possibilities of all you could be; it is the time to make mistakes, to have adventures and to try new experiences for no other reason than because you can. However, it can also be an incredible time of figuring out who you want to be and ultimately who you really are.

If you’ve reached a point when you want to start looking for the ‘real’ you underneath all the expectations, assumptions and prescribed beliefs then here are some super simple steps you can follow:

Find Your Purpose
In the long run, we all aspire to that elusive sense of ‘greatness’. We want a life that is full, enjoyable and that gives us a wonderful sense of satisfaction when we go to sleep each night. Discovering your purpose in life can be an amazing driving force which will surely get you to the place you want to be. Start by writing down all the dreams and aspirations you have. Forget things which have gone before or things which you think your parents or friends might want you to achieve and make this list all about yourself. Don’t be afraid if the list is full of things which seem too risky or out of reach; simply writing it down can give you a fresh injection of belief that perhaps it can really be achieved.

Find Your Self
This is about spending some time with your self; without interruption and outside influence. What do you like doing? How do you like spending your time? What sort of thoughts pop into your head when you’re on your own? You might want to note some of these things and spend some time reflecting on them or you might just want to set aside some time each day for meditation, when it can just be you and your thoughts. This is a great way of being alone and learning exactly what makes you tick.

Find Your Demons
Nothing can destroy a renewed sense of purpose and drive than a bout of self-doubt. The part of spending time with yourself is learning your weaknesses and how you can combat them. This might involve telling your family and friends that you don’t want to follow their prescribed path or it might raise the feeling you aren’t good enough for the dreams you hold. Until you identify these demons you can’t own them, and if you can’t own them you can’t fight them.

Nothing is as amazing as finding out who you really are, so why not break away from society’s stereotypes and give it a try? You have every right to stop for a moment and think whether your way of living brings you that ephemeral joy or you just follow the others. Think about yourself more often. After all, it can change your life.