People spend a large portion of their lives trying to figure out who they are as individuals in the world; they struggle to represent themselves with their own unique identity. Everyone learns who they are at different points in their lives, because no one has the same thinking process. It may take until a person is out of high school, or in their third year of college, or until they’re 35 years old with three kids. Nevertheless, there is no easy step or simple way for a person to find themselves and it is simply a process that everyone must endure on their own. Even though everyone is exceptionally original, most people who have identified themselves tend to share the same new behaviors.
They find their own path
People spend so much of their time trying to impress others or fit into a particular group, whether that be through their appearance or actions. They try so impeccably hard to live up to the standards of family, friends, social media, school, and so many other aspects of society. People may not always realize it, but subconsciously they aim to follow the crowd in order to avoid judgement. It is so necessary to avoid the “crowd” and attempt to find their own path. If humans were to spend their entire life with the goal of impressing other people, they would never have enough room to impress themselves. They would never find the security, the peaceful feeling, of knowing exactly what they need to do in life to make themselves happy.
They find a sense of self-confidence
Having the confidence to convey an original idea or passion is empowering; it’s like a breath of fresh air to not have to walk on tip toes, attempting to avoid negative confrontation from others. Initially, embarrassment or fear are common emotions when a person doesn’t completely understanding who they are, or their purpose in the world. They are unsure if what they say is worthy enough to be heard by others. But eventually, the realization of who they are is vivid, almost like a switch is turned on in their brain. This makes it easier to communicate with others, whether they are friends, family or strangers. It is no longer a constant worry of how they should express themselves, because it’s something that just occurs naturally.
Accepting that it’s okay to be different
In order for a person to understand who they are, they have to physically and mentally represent the image he or she wishes to propagate to others. This may mean doing his or her hair differently, not wearing makeup, or dressing however they see fit for a certain situation. They no longer fear that people will judge them because they enjoy drawing, or writing, or hula-hooping, or listening to foreign Swedish music... eventually, this person comes to realize that it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks of them; if they thoroughly enjoy it, who is anyone else to disagree and say otherwise?
Finding a sense of contentment
Until a person can understand who they are, they always seem to be slightly on edge, unable to truly open up to their own thoughts and emotions. They are vulnerable to the idea of being different or putting themselves in full confrontation of others. Occasionally people adapt to others around them, perpetuating other peoples’ personas and opinions into their own. It’s a sort of lack of comfort in their own skin which can only be changed once they can accept themselves as individuals. Once they are able to do this, they are free to express themselves however they please.
Avoiding the comfort zone
Another important aspect of self-identity is the ability, or the desire, to step outside of a person’s comfort zone. Individuals who have not officially come to terms with themselves are uncomfortable doing or being in a place that they are unfamiliar with. A person with a clear identity craves to explore outside of what they already know; they want to see new places, do new things, and meet new people. They do not feel as though they are confined and must cling to the one city they have been in all of their life. Nevertheless, there is nothing wrong with wanting to stay in one place, stepping out of a comfort zone could also mean trying out a new restaurant or having a conversation with a random lady in the grocery store.
Weeding out negativity
Throughout a person’s life, there comes a time that they realize some of their relationships with people just aren’t as essential as they once believed them to be. This recognition can only be achieved once a person has a realization about their own personal life. Evaluating and removing people who are negative influences in a person’s life will result in a noticeable change in his or her personality and overall well-being. Being around a person who is constantly negative or a downer can be detrimental to a person’s self-esteem. Once this individual surrounds his or herself with only positive influences, they can strive to achieve things they once didn’t believe was possible.
