9 Easy Ways to Learn More About Yourself

Mar 8, 2022 | Love God | 0 comments

God created us each uniquely. Navigating away from the world’s pressures and into His kingdom is a journey, but it’s in God’s hands that we learn more about who we are. Learning more about yourself is kind of like a treasure hunt. There’s a moment of “Wow, I never knew that about myself!” and a God moment happening at the same time. Knowing yourself better brings you more joy. It also presents clarity in the way that leads to life.

woman sitting on dock thinking

There are times in life when we don’t feel like we’re doing anything; we’re just going through the motions to get through the day. The tug-a-war happens when we want more out of life; we want to make a difference in society, and we want a fulfilling life but we don’t know how to go about that because we’re stuck in a cycle of worldly pressures. How can we break away? We do that by understanding who we are.

Do More Than Exist

Do more than exist (DMTE). Those four words are pretty powerful and say a lot! In the past, I overthought what the meaning of Do More Than Exist stands for. For instance; getting off the couch, starting a business, getting healthy, raising a family, volunteering, running a marathon, going on a mission trip, contributing to a global cause, or expressing your artistic ability. You could say we all have our own unique meaning behind those four simple words. And we all have a fingerprint that is critical to our success. Yet do more than exist is about one thing: love. One way to love God back is to learn more about who He created you to be.

do more than exist mug

Do More Than Exist coffee mug here.

Discovering Who We Are

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Discovering oneself is a journey.  We may go down many paths to look for opportunities, to look for clues of who we are, yet find nothing. I remember way too many rabbit trails I followed, only to find disappointment. “WHO AM I?” I would yell in my mind. Tears streamed down my face out of frustration. I so badly wanted to know what God made me to do on this planet. I was overthinking.

In my worry, I missed something very valuable. I was so focused on a map that I forgot to look between the paths. Following or trying to follow everyone else made me feel like a failure. I didn’t fit in and thought something was wrong with me! It took me a long while to learn that what worked for someone, didn’t work for my individuality. Let me save you some tissue, the trap of comparison will throw your compass off and you’ll just keep going around in circles if you don’t do something about it.

With that said, let me tell you that your path in life isn’t going to be one path, rarely does that happen. If we want a fulfilled life we’re going to have to adapt to the seasons we’re given in life. When we have children, be a mom. When we have to bring the bacon home, and so forth. It’s okay if we don’t feel purposeful at the moment. But I do ask you this: always learn who you are in the role you play, you will then have a clearer picture of the path you want to take.

9 Easy Ways to Live Beyond our Existence

Taking the time to explore our hearts to understand what we like and dislike is extremely important for our overall happiness. Our hearts shape our lives and our values affect our choices. When our values align with our decisions, something magical happens…a smile on our faces. If you want to learn more about personal values, you can check out my freebie here.

be fearless in who you are

Learn more about yourself

1)      Help others.

If you see someone in need, help them! Hold the door, pick up something they dropped, simply do what unto others as you would do unto you. It’s crazy how simple yet complicated with can make life. A happy life isn’t rocket science; get to know your heart and do something.

2)      Spend some time alone.

I like to go for walks outdoors on a trail in a park. Spending time alone at home with a fun project or your hobby is also a great way to have fun with yourself. I have even gone to the movies solo. There is something about taking a time-out for yourself without having to worry about a kid or dog, or spouse for that matter. It’s just you. Enjoy the silence and have fun spending time with yourself.

3)      Journal.

Writing down your thoughts, prayers, and frustrations helps you understand what’s going on in your heart. Over the years I found the tone in my journaling started out pretty rough. I was swearing, mad, and confused about what was going on in my life and relationships. Rarely did I find a positive entry. But that is what journaling is for, an outlet, a venting passage. It’s to give our thoughts permission to leave our minds so we don’t have to think about it anymore...it’s documented on paper so I can now let it go.

On the flip side, journaling is also there to be creative, to document life, and to tell yourself good things. As I grew older I found my journal entries to be much more positive and creative. My journal entries turned into prayers and things I learned. As I flip through the pages it’s gratifying to see how far you’ve come. And to see what seemed like a big deal then is not so now.

set yourself free

What else?

4)      Engage in an activity you normally wouldn’t do.

Push your homebody aside and step out of your comfort zone for just a little bit. Challenge your limits, physically and mentally. Build your confidence! This may sound silly but I recently went to an estate sale. I did raise my card at one point. Scary! Going to an estate sale might not sound like a big deal to you, but it was something completely out of my normal routine. This is a very small idea of what you can do.

5)      Clean out your stuff.

Clutter is toxic. Sifting through your stuff and giving it a good organization will do your mind good. You’ll learn all about yourself and what stuff you like to keep. Maybe you’ll even understand why you want to keep it or give it to someone else. Be sure to check out my post on 5 ways to know how to simplify your stuff. Take a look at your stuff and ask yourself, what does that say about you? At the auction I went to, I learned A LOT about the people who were selling it. So what are you saying to the world with your stuff?

6)      Write down what you want to leave behind.

I’m not talking about stuff. What kind of legacy do you want to leave? What do you want to be remembered for? And how can you start doing that today?

Journal Prompts
Instant download in Freebies!

Lastly, get busy

7)      Volunteer.

Choose an activity at your church or community center and volunteer to help out. This too can be scary. We don’t have much time, especially since we have little ones, so bring them along. It not only helps you feel good about yourself contributing to society, but it shows your kids how to do it. Again you’ll learn about your attitude and capabilities simply by lending a hand. Check this post out on knowing how to start volunteering.

8)      Get your body in check.

Stress is a major cause of health issues from muscle imbalances, digestive issues, and heartburn, to even autoimmune disease and who knows what more; stress can physically kill. It’s important to take care of your body, mind, and spirit for your life and your choices depend on it. The way you feel affects your decisions. And your decisions affect your path.

Alan Kulwicki quote Always have a next great goal

9)      Do something creative.

Draw, doddle, sew, design your own landscaping or garden, make your own cookie recipe or stir-fry dish, arrange flowers, move your furniture around, or mow your lawn in a different pattern. Get those juices flowing and see what you create!

Wrapping up

By engaging in these activities you will have a better idea of who you are and who you want to become. I suggest starting small. Maybe try one of the nine exploring ways every few days or on the weekends….except for the body one, which should be done every day (wink). When we get to know ourselves better, our path in life becomes clearer and more fulfilling. It’s funny how this simple exercise can give you a wealthier life.

Before you go check out these other great posts:

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