Knowing Who You Are

I spent the first third of my life sorting out me versus other people. I thought it was easy. But somehow, I never quite figured out other people in time to save many relationships. It was a time when our culture was discovering new things and new lifestyles both good and not so good. It even got a name the "me" generation. Even then I didn't get it. I always saw myself as a reflection of others. I was always comparing and contrasting. I drew energy from that "me" stuff without really understanding what "me" meant. I never took a moment to reflect inwardly about who I really was. I was so busy being me that I didn't stop and discover who I was dealing with in my own skin.

That requires a complete shift of focus. You have to take time to look inwardly and ask some tough questions about your language, your behavior, your emotions, and your vulnerabilities. Whether you call them idiosyncrasies, quirks, personality traits, or just "that's me", you have to take some time to figure out what all those observations mean in defining who you are. That takes concentration, mindfulness usually bolstered by meditation, and a ton on non-judgement. You have to work to become at peace with yourself. Until you do, you can't possibly see yourself clearly particularly if you only see who you are as a reflection of the words, actions, and emotions of others. You have to be at peace with yourself to be ablt to define where you stops and other starts.