Simple exercise to discover who you are

I am… . try to finish this sentence, what can you not? Complicated right? 

With this simple exercise made up of a series of questions, you will achieve more clarity to discover who you are.

How many times have I heard that little phrase, so full of content and that I myself don't know how to answer, when I start to answer it, the following usually happens:

I start, in complete safety, saying something like: “I am a worker and… the second time, the nuances begin to appear, well I am a worker almost always, although sometimes it is difficult for me to do things, especially those that have to do with…, well sometimes neither, only when… ." And I've already messed it up, I'm starting to spin more than a fool at a fair, without reaching any conclusion, just a tangle of inconsistencies that are far from a clear, precise and coherent definition of myself.

It seems to me, which is a question of great complexity, the truth is that I have serious doubts that there is a clear, precise and coherent answer.

But as the professionals insist, that it is of the utmost importance that I know myself, that I know who I am, I look for the answer, I start to go round and round, I reflect, I think, I reconsider,…. I investigate to complete my sentence of: I am…

But I don't know how to get there ...

Let's put order, let's see how to arrive at some answers in an orderly way.

To begin, I reflected on ...

It's funny that when I know someone "very little", I am usually able to describe them quite precisely., which blank canvas, I give a few brush strokes, and I generate a fairly approximate, clear and precise sketch. Something that is diluted and blurred as I get to know it more, and that is when I start to see its inconsistencies, its nuances, which only enrich the simple and clear initial sketch and in turn reduce clarity, since what I do is to add a lot of chiaroscuro.

And let's not say what happens, when who I have to describe is myself, that's when the sketch becomes a self-portrait with a cluster of brushstrokes here and brushstrokes there ... and it is that I want to see my image with my nose stuck in the frame, at such a short distance it is very difficult, and what usually happens is that I do not see "na de na".

To all this, I add another element that complicates it: the constant change to which my life submits me, I am not the same today as ten years ago and in all probability, I hope, have nothing to do with the person I will be in another ten.

Even taking into account these first reflections, I can specify and paint my IMAGE, let's get to work.

Painting my self-portrait: I am

Necessary material

1. Brushes, a canvas, oil, watercolors ... good quality materials and suitable to achieve your goals ... POWERFUL QUESTIONS.

2. See it with a certain distance, that is, contemplate my painting at the right distance. ASK OTHERS.

3. Learn to accept criticism. Give the THANK YOU really.

4. With all that information I WILL REFLECT AND...

5. MORE POWERFUL QUESTIONS addressed to myself

Exercise 1: POWERFUL QUESTIONS TO OTHERS.

1. I choose people I trust who know me very well: a minimum of five, a maximum of nine.
2. I ask you to write me with total sincerity five of my weaknesses and five of my strengths.
3. They must develop them, with an extension of at least five lines each of them.
4. It is essential to assure you that you will only receive a sincere THANK YOU, and there will be no conversation about what is written.
5. I will explain the objective of the exercise and I will leave you total freedom to do it or not.
6. I will sincerely thank them and will never talk to them about the writing.
7. I will read and write down the matches, IN THEM ARE THE I am ...

I will reflect on it, use my I am from strengths, to keep them in mind and my I am weak, to make change action plans, if I so desire.

Exercise 2: POWERFUL QUESTIONS YOURSELF.

Discovering my beliefs tells me a lot about myself, how I am, what I hope, I wish ... I will ask the following questions for myself as a mother, daughter, partner, sister, friend, psychologist, ... I have chosen for the example my role as a mother (you can invent as many as you want):

I believe that my children are ... .

I believe that mothers should ...

The family is… .

My children have to ... .

I have to get my children ... .

The important thing in the relationship with my children is that ... .

Mothers have to ...

Children should never ...

It is inadmissible that a mother ... .

It is necessary that I as a mother ... .

What my children expect from me is ... .

What I have to give my children is ... .

My children have to be ... .

Look for coincidences, repetitions ... and there you have your I AM!

Discover YOUR VALUES, is another very useful reflection exercise, for this answer these questions at least twelve times and check what is repeat over and over with the last reply, and there are some of your I am ...

Why do you get up every day? I get up to see the sun, the sky… .Why do you want to see the sun, the sky…? To enjoy What do you want to enjoy? To feel joy, peace ... Why do you want to feel peace, joy? To feel it and distribute it to those around you… twelve times, look for the repetitions, and follow the same process with the following questions.

What moves you in life?

What do you want to live for?

What do you want to enjoy?

What is important to you in life?

What are you doing that you shouldn't be doing?

What do you do to not be happy?

With these elements you can get closer to knowing "a little" more about who you are ... although look at what Oscar Wilde said "Only the superficial get to know themselves" .

A very big kiss, whoever you are.