Samantha Lyons

When my mom died a few years ago from suicide, I began to work to understand my own mental health and wellness. I wanted to really dig deep into my own self care. I wanted to uncover my limitations. I wanted to follow my calling.

I have to say, the journey of self discovery isn’t what I thought it would look like. If you’re on a journey yourself, then you’re smiling because you know the deal. You understand the hard work it takes to really find your center and work to be the best version of yourself.

Self discovery isn’t just eating granola and nature walks and early morning work outs.

It’s also taking notice of where you’re falling short, uncovering past trauma, facing limiting beliefs, and admitting why you’re afraid to do something you want to do.

Frankly…

Self discovery takes work.

So, what’s the point? Why go through so much inner turmoil just to find out you need to work on your guilt over past decisions, you have jealousy issues, and you like to paint?

It reminds me of a specific scene in Runaway Bride. Maggie Carpenter (Julia Roberts) is called out on the fact that she doesn’t know anything about her self because she always just becomes parts of the people she dates. The primary example and running joke is she doesn’t even know how she likes her eggs.

So, Maggie goes on a self discovery journey to find out who she really is.

Spoiler Alert: She likes Eggs Benedict.

But, through this journey and the work she puts in to really uncover her own preferences independent of anyone else, she finally achieves personal growth and alignment to her true self. For the first time ever, she is self aware and able to make the best decisions for her own life.

Maggie is truly happy and clear on her own identity.

The more I speak to people about self care, the more I realize that each of us has so much work to do with uncovering who we really are. Life happens and traumas (big and small) change a person until they can be unrecognizable to themselves so much so that they don’t even notice how far they’ve ventured away from who they are and what they really want in life.

The truth is, it is easy to accept stagnancy and avoid self discovery all together because it’s HARD.

I know it is avoidable because I was there for a long time, afraid of what I might find if I start digging. But what I now realize is that we can bury and tuck things away, but until we truly deal with them, we won’t ever unlock our full potential.

Self discovery is what we have to force ourselves to do in order to have our most fulfilling life.

Start challenging yourself.

“What makes me feel alive? What am I passionate about? Why do I feel that way? What is making me react like this?”

Be willing to ask yourself the hard questions and do the work.

You are the only person in the world that can do this for yourself.

Don’t settle on your potential.

Self discovery is a life-long journey where you set out for a morning meditation and next thing you know you figure out what eggs you like and end up with the reward of getting to live a life of authenticity and fulfillment.

It’s hard, but it’s a win/win!