Four ways to get to know yourself

What makes you happy? What makes you tick? And likewise, what makes you unhappy and takes away your feeling of contentment?

Exploring these questions can be an important part of getting to know yourself better. Knowing yourself might be easier said than done. For those of you who want some guidance, have a look at the four tips below.

1. Stop telling yourself ‘this is how I am’

We continue to learn and change throughout our lives, and some of our behaviours, beliefs and responses can change too. If you are convinced that ‘this is how you are’, you may close yourself off to the possibility of doing things differently.

Instead, say ‘this is how I am AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME’. Self-talk like this may encourage you to be more open-minded about what could change.

2. Explore yourself without judgement

Explore yourself non-judgmentally and with an open and honest mind. Look at your feelings, your interests and your ideas. Ask yourself where these ideas, interests and beliefs have come from and whether they still feel true for you.

Are you really emotional or is this what your brother told you? Are you really interested in becoming a doctor, or is this what your parents would like? Are you really keen on cycling, or do you try to please your friends?

Once you have made your inventory, you can decide on the next steps. Mindfulness or simply giving yourself some quiet time to reflect may help with this process.

3. Use other tools for reflection

Books, reflective exercises or personality questionnaires can sometimes give you new questions to consider. Treat the results as prompts for reflection rather than definitive descriptions of who you are.

Compare what you discover with your own perception. Sometimes the surprises are where the most interesting discoveries begin.

4. Consider coaching

Don’t hesitate to contact a coach if you would like support with this process. Coaching can provide a dedicated space to explore these questions, challenge assumptions and consider what feels important to you.

Once you've started exploring who you are, you may also want to consider why greater self-awareness can be useful.