Welcome to the selfie age, where the more pictures people take of themselves, the less genuine their identity becomes. Social media has been a wonderful addition to the world, in the sense that it connects people and allows us to share our lives with the ones we love. Unfortunately, though, social media has also caused many to disconnect from their true identities in order to form a more desirable one. We post about our “perfect” marriages, kids, careers, vacations and much more. Sadly, many of these posts are empty and devoid of the true picture of what our lives actually are.
Self-reflection has always been the path to our most genuine self. Pages upon pages exist of the diaries of great leaders like George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. In their entries, we are able to experience their triumphs, their heartaches and their innermost battles with themselves. The Diary of Anne Frank is one of the most renowned pieces of literature from the 20th century because of it’s real, raw, personal account of tragedy. These are only a few examples of historical figures who spent a great deal of time soul searching and in self-discovery.
So why, now, in an age where knowledge abounds at our fingertips, do we shy away from knowing the most intimate subject — ourself? Perhaps knowing one’s self is too much work. It takes time, patience, and often heartbreak to discover who we truly are. Maybe knowing ourselves is too frightening. When we start to explore the innermost working of our hearts and minds, we are likely to find ghosts and demons that have haunted us for years. Then there is the question of whether or not we actually WANT to know our true self. If we are able to manufacture an image online that is desirable, funny, tough, what have you, then we are able to protect ourselves from judgment, loneliness and imperfection….or so we think.
Thales once said “the most difficult thing in life is to know oneself.” Self-reflection is one of the hardest courses in the school of life we will ever attempt. Mastery is usually never achieved. Like my mom used to always tell me, though, it doesn’t matter how well you do as long you at least tried. So where do we start? How do we embark on the journey of self discovery? For this answer, we turn to another philosopher. Lao Tzu coined the famous phrase “the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
The minute we begin to be mindful of our thoughts, feelings, actions and words, we take that giant leap into self-reflection. Spend time each day observing the little quirks that make you unique. Ponder the annoyances that get under your skin. Determine your likes, dislikes, values and beliefs. Self-Reflection won’t happen overnight. There is a reason that wisdom comes with age. Journal your experiences, your hopes, your dreams, your letdowns. When you look back on all of these occurrences in your life, determine where you’ve grown, where there’s room for growth and what has shaped you thus far. Begin to wean yourself from the artificial experiences that are so easy to create online. I encourage you to begin seeing yourself for the beauty that you truly are, not for the social media filter you can create. ♥♥♥
Crossroads Mental Health Services 