The process of self-discovery leads to the accumulation of self-knowledge. Self-knowledge itself is more of an end point, a moving target of sorts, which identifies what we know about ourselves.

It is with self-knowledge we can understand our principles, values, and our purpose. With self-knowledge we can understand the strengths we have and build upon them, and understand our short-comings as a means of improving them or knowing when to seek the assistance of others. Self-knowledge is evident in how we handle ourselves, how we make decisions, and face successes and challenges.

In today’s world, it soon becomes evident when an individual is driven by dishonesty, fraud, or pretense. For an individual to consistently gain success in their endeavors or be known as a leader of others, they must possess self-knowledge. We must be true to ourselves so we can be true to others.

The process of self-discovery requires an individual to ask themselves questions along the line of “what am I about”, “where is my faith” and “what is the source of my strength”?

Prayer and meditation are among the ways of finding answers to these questions. The answers will come more easily when we acknowledge a creator, which is bigger than ourselves. It is my belief in God that drives how I view and handle situations each day, as I know the principles on which I stand in living out my life. It is with those principles in mind, how I conduct myself and how I make decisions.

Meditation or other “centering practices” are simply paying attention in a particular way – on purpose or on intention, to the present in a non-judgmental way as a means of learning more about ourselves and others around us.

Keeping a diary or going back and reading pieces you have previously written is an excellent way to reflect on your life and discover things about yourself. In doing this you have an opportunity to look back on previous thoughts and decisions and how at that time you expressed yourself in your writing. As you re-read your earlier words, your mindset, your approach, and the factors used in your decisions will be revealed to you. You have the benefit of looking back and seeing how perceptive you were to future events, or where you simply missed the mark – both are important as you continue to move forward with your life.

Challenges and obstacles in our lives also lead to self-discovery. No one will go in search of challenges and feelings of powerlessness, but it is these times of “no answers”, that we can begin to look in other places for the right questions. How we react to situations out of our control will shape how we handle ourselves in the future. Do we simply stop trying and say “I give up”, or do we pick ourselves up and continue moving in a positive direction? The decisions we made, and how we arrived at those decisions will provide self-knowledge to be used at other times in our life.

Another step in self-discovery is to simply take a few minutes each day to reflect, to expose your mind to new information, or to observe the world around you and to stop focusing on the hustle and bustle around you. This may be a time to look back on your day, to write in your diary, to observe nature, to read or listen to personal development materials, to exercise, or listen to music.

In performing one or more of these activities, each of us will learn a little more of ourselves as we progress through the process of self-discovery to self-knowledge. With this self-knowledge, we are better positioned to meet each day and the opportunities found within that 24-hour period.

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