5 Ways to Know Yourself Better in the Present

“I want to know myself better.”

This is a common desire that we all share, and it’s one of the reasons people go on retreats or take part in countless self-help courses. But there are also ways you can learn more about yourself right now, even as you go about your daily life. 

There are many different aspects of life that can filter our experience and make it difficult to understand ourselves. But there's a simple way we can get to know ourselves better: by taking a look at what we think, feel, say, do and believe in the present moment. In this article, I'll share with you four ways to get yourself grounded in the present so that you're able to be your best self.

Ask: Is this your energy?

Some of us are affected more than others and can even feel it or take it into the body. Learning to recognise what is not our energy can help us back away from decisions and reactions that aren't best for us.

The first way to get to know yourself in the present is to ask yourself if this is your energy. Take note of how you're feeling: Are you feeling upbeat or are you feeling down? Did someone say something that made you feel this way, or did an event happen that left you feeling upset? Once you identify the source of the emotion, you can begin working through it. If it's not your energy, then it's important to let go of what isn't yours. We already have enough to deal with as is.

Ask: Are these your emotions?

We all experience a range of different emotions throughout the day, but sometimes we suppress them or ignore them altogether. By acknowledging how we're feeling in any given moment, we can start to understand ourselves better.

Sometimes the emotions we feel simply mean taking on another person's emotions. This happens for sensitive people (eg. empaths or Highly Sensitive People). If you find that you're constantly taking on the energy of others, it's important to learn how to protect yourself with the proper tools, habits and practices. One way to do this is by setting healthy boundaries. 

Ask: Are these your fears?

Fear is one of the most primal and intuitive experiences, and it's often misunderstood and misused. For many, it's what keeps us from reaching our goals. But by becoming aware of our fears, we can begin to face them head-on, one step at a time.

A common case of Imposter Syndrome is a simple case that presents many situations where we can choose to back away due to fearing we aren't good enough or don't deserve it.

Ask: Are these your opinions?

The fourth way to get to know yourself in the present is by asking yourself if these are your opinions. We all have different beliefs and opinions about different topics, but sometimes we become attached to them. We might start to believe that our opinions are the only right ones, or that we have to defend them at all costs. But by questioning our opinions, we can open ourselves up to new perspectives about ourselves.

Ask: Are these your thoughts?

The fifth way to get to know yourself in the present is by asking yourself if these are your thoughts. Thoughts come and go constantly, but sometimes we get stuck on a particular thought for an extended period of time. This can be detrimental because it stops us from living in the present moment. Sometimes a thought is just a thought or maybe it's someone else's, but giving it space usually brings you more clarity and sometimes even less pressure.

By getting to know ourselves in the present can we begin to make positive changes in our life and in the world around us.

In an age where we filter everything from our social media to the clothes in our closet, it's easy for us to lose sight of who we really are. But by taking a moment each day and asking ourselves these five questions about what we're thinking, feeling, saying, doing and believing-we can get back on track with being true to ourselves.

It might be difficult at first to answer these question honestly or take inventory of your thoughts without judgment but that is precisely why they're so important: because once you start answering them truthfully every day you'll find yourself living authentically instead of through someone else's filter.