10 Ways to Get to Know Yourself Better 

One way to improve your quality of life is to get to know yourself better. What do you want out of life? What makes you happy? What are your goals and how do you achieve them? These are some of the questions that will be answered when you get to know yourself better.

You can’t be truly happy or make good decisions concerning your future if you don’t know what you want out of life. Taking the time to really get to know yourself and becoming more mindful are important steps to being more confident and advocating for your own needs in your relationships.

Make the Effort to Know Yourself

Do you ever feel like you are being swept away by others’ decision making? Or do you go along with the decisions of friends or family, when you really desire a different outcome?

When you know and understand yourself better, you won’t feel as conflicted when faced with important decisions – and you’ll be able to discuss your needs and concerns without the anxiety that comes with being unable to advocate for yourself.

You also have better self-control, tolerance for others and the self-assurance you need to resist social pressure when tempted or coaxed to do something you don’t agree with.

How to Get to Know Yourself Better

1. Determine your values and the set the moral code that you want to live by. Do you consider yourself an honest person with integrity? Do you find comfort in helping others less fortunate than yourself? Are you a loyal friend? Your morals or values say a lot about who you really are.
2. Discover your own unique personality. What are you really like? How do you feel when you meet strangers? Are you shy and withdrawn or do you enjoy drawing attention to yourself? Do you enjoy spending time alone or do you prefer the company of others? How do you respond in emergencies? Is financial security important or do you consider yourself a free spirit? Are you ambitious and go after what you want or do you wait for opportunities to come your way? Knowing your own personality will help you understand why you react the way you do during different situations.  
3. Decide what you want your future to be like. Where do you want to be 5, 10 or even 20 years from now? What accomplishments do you hope to achieve and what type of relationship are you searching for? When you know what you want out of life it will help you achieve your goals faster and easier.
4. Focus on your own interests and what you enjoy doing. How do you like to spend your free time? Do you enjoy watching or playing sports? What type of movies, TV shows and music do you like? What gets you excited and brightens up your day? The things you’re interested in helps to define you as an individual.
5. Discover your strengths and weaknesses. What special skills or talents do you have? Are you the one that responds quickly and takes control in emergency situations or do you look to others for guidance? When you know your strengths and weaknesses, it helps to improve your self-esteem, build confidence and it helps you put things in perspective.
6. Practice self-reflection. Take some time to reflect on your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Journaling or talking to a trusted friend or therapist can help you gain insights into yourself.  When you take time to reflect, you can disconnect your thoughts from your emotions and at times find better outcomes for issues you may be facing.
7. Seek feedback from others. Ask people you trust for their honest opinions about your strengths and areas for improvement. While it can be challenging at times to hear constructive criticism, this  type of honest friendship can help you gain an outside perspective on yourself.
8. Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness meditation can help you become more aware of your thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations, which can lead to greater self-awareness.  Find a local yoga instructor, Buddhist organization, or even just seek out online guided meditations.  Calming the mind and focusing your thoughts can have a tremendous effect on your well being.
9. Test your limits.  You may be surprised to find what you can really do when you test your limits or put full effort into an area of life.  Can you love more, be stronger, be more bold, go further, try harder?  You will likely surprise yourself when you try.
10. Be patient and kind to yourself.  You are good enough!  Everyday we exercise patience and forgive others for the things they do.  Be patient with yourself as you get to know yourself better and seek personal improvement, courage, and confidence.  You deserve your own love and forgiveness.

The benefits of getting to know yourself better

With my family, we train heavily in martial arts and practice skills and understanding of our bodies and minds.  Getting to know yourself and what you are capable of has many benefits starting with your own happiness. How can you expect to be happy if you don’t even know what makes you that way? When you know yourself, you can make plans and set goals to accomplish the things that are important to you, personally. It will also help you make better decisions about your future because you’ll know what you want out of life, which makes it easier to reach your goals.

Knowing who you are will help you have:

1. Greater self-awareness: When you know yourself better, you have a better understanding of your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This can help you make more conscious choices and decisions.
2. Improved relationships: Understanding your own needs, values, and communication style can help you communicate more effectively with others and build stronger, more fulfilling relationships.
3. Better decision-making: Knowing your strengths, weaknesses, and values can help you make decisions that are in alignment with your goals and priorities.
4. Increased self-confidence: When you know yourself better, you may feel more confident in your abilities and more comfortable expressing yourself authentically.
5. Improved mental health: Increased self-awareness can help you recognize patterns of thought or behavior that may be contributing to mental health issues, allowing you to take steps to improve your well-being.
6. Greater sense of purpose: Understanding your values and interests can help you identify your passions and find a sense of purpose in your life.

You define yourself as an individual when you don’t compromise your beliefs or blindly follow the crowd because you don’t know what you really want out of life. It will help you be true to yourself and that is the path to true happiness.