The Adventure to Self-Discovery: Your Guide to Getting Started

Where does it all begin? 

The ever evolving trail of self discovery just so happens to be on the minds of many these days. 

We are inundated with self-help books, social media influencers, blog posts (yes, even this one), and the plethora of information held in our slim computers tucked away in the back pocket of our jeans, ready to be tapped into at any moment to receive our instant answer.

If you are on a journey of self discovery… What does that mean to you? Do you know where you are on that path? Do you not have a clue what self discovery even entails? 

I believe we all have a story. Within that story are experiences. Experiences can fall under categories that are deemed good, bad, neutral maybe. They are entangled in subcategories tagged as teachable moments, life lessons, tiny moments that make us smile, or maybe skills we learned, passions we have, people who energize us, and so on. 

Throughout our life story it’s important to highlight that at some point we will find ourselves to have a distinct moment. A moment that we noticed for ourselves that we are a bit more aware. A bit more present. A bit more awake, if you will. 

Have you reached a point in your life where you have found yourself to ask these questions; “What am I doing with my life?” “What am I really meant to do on this Earth?” “Don’t I have more to give than this?”

If you have asked yourself any of these questions, congratulations! You are either on the verge of an awakening, or have experienced such an awakening and are still evolving into what this means for you.

Don’t you love when bloggers or other influencers use catchy phrases or words that just grab your attention? Yet, you’re nearly ready to start rolling your eyes at the dramatic use of such words? 

Now that we called that to attention, yes. I will use catchy words. Yes, I will make this as dramatic as one might think or feel. 

The fact is this: at some point in our lives we will reach a point where we become fully aware that the life we are living is either satisfying our desires or not.

How’s that for dramatic?

This may happen in a split second - all at once, or, it will slowly whisper throughout experiences ever so gently nudging us to consider other experiences that might actually bring us joy. 

In my own personal experience, more often than not when I was subconsciously noticing that the life I was living was no longer serving me or anything that I desired, I had trials, darkness, or less than ideal circumstances present in my life. 

Moments or seasons that are less than stellar in life isn’t always a bad thing. They serve to teach us something… but are we wanting to learn the lesson?

I believe I finally showed up to the life class during one of these seasons of darkness. The course was titled: Who am I? What am I really meant to do here? 

I found myself to be at a job that appeared fulfilling. I justified every angle of it as to why I took it and how much I could gain from it. Which, most answers turned out to be true. But was it really satisfying my life purpose? My life passions? My deep desires within that I either consciously knew or didn’t know.

I believe seasons of change come at the time when we are subconsciously asleep. We turn into the routine robots living life on the clock with the schedule of wake up, eat, go to work, come home, eat, play, talk, connect, then go to bed. Do it all over again the next day. 

When we are “asleep” is when a divine power moves to take over and present situations, circumstances, choices, and decisions that are entirely designed to wake us up. Or will try to. 

My awakening alarm did go off at once. It did not go off twice. It was a slow, steady, quiet, soft and gentle sound that became louder the more I ignored it. Until yes, one day, I got curious. 

Why did I take this job? Why am I living in a place that feels so desolate? Why am I around people who I cannot connect with no matter how hard I try? 

ALARM NAME: BECAUSE YOU’RE NOT LISTENING

Listening to what? Listening to the news? To the podcast? To my parents, friends, family? 

No, you’re not listening to the counseling voice inside that has been trying to speak for so very long. 

Your inner guide. 

Your inner compass. 

The voice that so desperately needs to be heard. 

My self-development discovery began when I started to listen. I was in a place in my life that silence was everywhere the moment I stopped moving. I would try to drown it out by staying busy, filling my schedule, or even listening to noise no matter the time of day. My attempt at music, tv, radio podcasts or phone calls couldn’t silence this any longer. 

It was time to not hit the snooze button and recognize that my life, and how I want to experience it, is entirely up to me. 

It is literally no one else’s responsibility to live my life. It is not someone else's responsibility to come and wake me up. It is not on someone else to pick me up out of bed and drag me to a coach, therapist, or even a self-help podcast that is inches away from me on my phone. 

It is 100% ON ME. 

But where does one begin? Where do you even start when you come to realize that the life you are living is nothing what you hoped for? Nothing what you had pictured as a child or even as a young adult, maybe even a seasoned adult?

I will tell you this my friend… 

LIFE BEGINS EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE AT. 

It begins whether you are lying in bed, sitting at a corporate office desk, or in the shower after 12 minutes of running water and zero movement on your end. 

It begins right where you are in your mind and what you feel you should do in that present moment. 

That might be calling a family member or a friend. That might be opening up your computer and searching for the type of therapist or counselor that takes your insurance. That might be opening up your podcast app on your phone and staring at it until something pops off the screen of interest to you. 

But it begins right where you are. And the timing is perfect. 

You aren’t meant to control life nor the timing of it. You are meant to live the moments and experiences we are granted and enjoy the gift of being a human with the power to create the desired life you want. 

It’s yours. The life you dream, fantasize, or yearn for is yours for the taking. All you have to do is recognize that you want it. Recognize that you are worthy of it. Recognize that you are completely capable of creating it. 

Once this realization comes upon you that the life you are living is not the life you desire, you immediately kick open the door to the new one. Even if you haven’t taken a step yet. You opened it. You brought yourself to the awareness that your current reality is not the future desire. 

Great work.

The choices, decisions and actions you take from here on out will be the formula that leads you to discovering the inner answers within, guiding you to the life you desire. 

My greatest piece of advice: Get quiet. 

Still your body. Still your mind. Really actively listen to what you’ve been ignoring for so long. 

Give yourself the permission to get curious about what it is you truly want to experience in this life. Who are the people you want to meet? What is the environment you want to be surrounded by? What will you give back to this planet that will fuel your soul and empower you to create massive change for yourself and for others? 

Friend… listen to what your inner voice says. I have to say it twice or three times because this part is important. Listen with intention. Your new beginning will remain an end if you continue to ignore the alarm and change nothing. Don’t let that happen. Make the intentional decision to choose for yourself exactly what you want to experience in this life and allow your mind, body and spirit to guide you on how you will do that. 

The answers and direction will come… are you listening? 

Happy Day,