Friday, June 11, 2010

How to Solve Your Identity Crisis the Easy Way

One of the first things many self-help books do is ask you to write down your goals and write a mission statement. If I could do that, why would I need this book?

Here is one solution to finding out who and what you are: Pretend you're a detective! Look for clues...

I can tell my interests by the books on my shelf: art, culture, science, history, philosophy, metaphysics, cooking, health, business.

I can tell what's important to me by what I strive for: financial security, love, respect, raising my children, spirituality, self improvement.

I can tell what I think of spirituality by my notions of how I suspect things work. (Hardly anybody believes there are no unseen forces in the universe, if you include science as an unseen force.)

I can tell my hobbies by how I want to spend my time: music, conversation, art, nature, exercise, studying, working.

I can tell what qualities I appreciate by looking at my friends: intelligent, talented, interested, trustworthy, philosophical, funny.

I can tell what I might become by looking at my parents. My dad is hard working, strong, impulsive, artistic, practical, critical. I can see that. My mom is a uh... kitten who believes in magic, likes to take care of people, but runs away from trouble. I am a flirt who is confused about her spirituality, wants to take care of people but not sure if she can, and vowed to never run away from trouble (possibly to my detriment). I think I need to understand my mom better.

I can tell what I need to work on by looking at what's a mess: the room I am sitting in right now. : )

Thanks for reading. I hope this approach might come in handy for someone. Whoever you are...

5 comments:

sgreerpitt said...

WOW -- that's a great idea!! YOu should go into the motivational speaking business. Or at least write a book!

Qaro said...

Aw, you made my day! : )

Anonymous said...

Really helpful, Thank u x

Anonymous said...

Well said. Inspirational and practical.

Unknown said...

I like this... I like what you've written. The methodology of investigating yourself is great. You sound a lot like me. But I don't think who we are can be defined by anything that can be stripped from us. For example, take away all these materials you regarded as “evidence” in your investigation for your deductive reasoning and then what...? Because that's where I am. I don't have any of these things having uprooted my life and moved recently. I feel lost without the things that defined me before. My life is in moratorium. I’m unsure of where I am going or the best place to be. Exploring life options 24/7 but never finding something I’m ready to commit to. And so here I am, like with many thing things, sifting through the infinite internet for elusive and likely obvious answers...Your post (however old) is among the first to be of any use though. So thank you.