By Abdulhafiz Muhammed
Life is a rollercoaster ride as you mature. One day, it seems like something makes sense to you, even if it is a fleeting thought, but suddenly, everything—and I mean everything—makes no sense at all—be it your hobbies or, most importantly, your identity. In case you have experienced this feeling, you are not alone because you, me, and every teenager go through this.
Self-discovering is not about setting everything in stone, at least for you. It means figuring things out and expanding your horizons. Everyone, and I mean everyone, is like a diamond and self-discovery is that polish which brings out the sparkle. The journey is different for everyone and along the way, you will find the things you enjoy, what you are good at, and how you want to lead your life. Take it from me: while self-discovery is an endless journey, embarking upon it at a young age will without a doubt steer you in the right direction as you evolve.
Why Does Self-Discovery Matter?
Have you ever asked yourself, who am I? or What do I really want in life? Let me save you the trouble, these questions are not always easy to answer, but they are important. Undoubtedly, understanding one’s self is crucial because:
Build confidence: Understanding one’s strengths and accepting personal differences help you to feel better about yourself.
Venturing Beyond Your Comfort Zone: You grow when you step outside of your comfort zone. You may never reach your full potential if you only ever do what is comfortable and known to you. Attempt something new, even if it makes you uncomfortable.
Speak up in class, try out for a play, pick up a new language, launch a side project, or visit a new location. You discover something new about your capabilities and limitations each time you push yourself. And never forget that failing is a necessary part of the process! Making mistakes indicates that you’re growing, not that you’re not good enough. Every successful individual has experienced failure. The important thing is to keep trying.
Think About Your Values and Beliefs
Your values are the guiding principles of your life, every action you take is rooted in them. With that being said, where do these values stem from? Most people will be expected to reply with family, schools, and society, and the caveat is that those values might not align with who you are genuinely.
Try to figure out what’s most important to you. Integrity? Compassion? Diligence? Words speak of the things you support and the actions you take show what kind of person you wish to be.
Journaling is an effective tool. Attempt to record your emotions, experiences, and thoughts, and gradually, you will begin to spot the things you value most over time.
Take a Look at the Things that Spark Joy Within You
Happiness is subjective and is determined differently based on an individual’s experience. Instead of waiting for a commemoration day to recognize true happiness, strive to take notice of how many little things are capable of making you happy.
Our obsession with the expectations others have for us often keeps us away from self-care and happiness. Self-discovery involves exploring and honouring the things that bring you joy.
Surround Yourself with Positive Influences
The people you surround yourself with will either help you with self-discovery or hinder your self-growth. If you are constantly surrounded by negative and fake people, you will find it extremely difficult to work towards your true self.
Adolescence is a time of self-discovery and identity formation when young people begin to establish a sense of who they are, what they believe in, and where they fit in the world.
This makes adolescence a sensitive developmental window, characterised by significant opportunities as well as vulnerabilities. As a critical stage of development, building a powerful self-identity is essential for adolescents to establish a strong foundation for personal and social growth, which is in turn crucial for success and well-being. However, more than 75% of mental health problems occur before the age of 25.
Young people can face difficulties as they cope with a combination of physical, emotional, and social changes while also striving to maintain a balance between academic or work commitments and their social life. Once we understand and really know who we are, we can then use doubt to drive us to achieve and accomplish more in life. Whatever those achievements and accomplishments are for each of us; learning to “be yourself” can be so much harder than it sounds. Some of us already know and have always known who we are while some of us haven’t quite figured it out.
Knowing who you are gives you confidence, helps you achieve your goals, and makes it easier for you to build strong, meaningful relationships with other people who accept and love you for who you are.
So I encourage you to take the time to discover yourself by reflecting on some of the points shared with you here. Remember, the more we learn about who we really are, the more satisfied, fulfilled, and confident we will be today, tomorrow, and for the rest of our lives.
Abdulhafiz Mohammed writes from
Kaduna