We are in many ways our own harshest critic. To be fair that is not a bad thing to be.
You want to be your very best as much as possible. I’m no different. Sometimes it’s borderline unhealthy how critical I am of myself.
But one of the biggest things I learned through that process, was being a bit more grateful for what I have and what I’ve already achieved in life, that definitely made things easier.
Yet I’m still critical of myself. I know when I’m not stepping up and I do give myself some stick when that happens. However, it’s much less destructive now and more motivating and self-pumping I would say.
It’s important to self-analyse and reflect on what you’re doing to help you grow as a person. You don’t want blind growth since that often doesn’t lead to what you want. You want to have a clear-cut path and keep moving towards it. But as we all know, we hit bumps along the way which needs a healthy amount of self-reflection to get past.
Leaving the ego aside
Note: I’m not a psycho-analysis expert nor am I trying to deal with this in this article. This is not about interpreting your own dreams. But feel free to do so if you find that helps. This is more about analysing your conscious and unconscious actions, and your emotions in an awakened state. Finding out why you do what you do and if it helps further your cause.
It’s actually pretty simple. Yet seamlessly difficult. In order to self-analyse yourself truthfully and in a fashion which actually helps you in the long term, you need to leave your ego out of it.
You need to be honest with yourself.
This is not the time or place to protect it. This is the time and place to Face facts and pretty much witness your ego shatter - if you had any that is.
You need to face the hard truth and take it as a man (or woman). Only then can you grow. There’s no point in figuring out what you’re doing is wrong and then keep doing it because of some sort of ego protection. One of the most difficult things to do for most people is admitting failure. Admitting that what you are doing just isn’t good enough or what you are doing is just plain wrong.
I believe that in all people there is an internal radar. It can tell if what you are doing is "right” or “wrong”.
Yet that voice get’s clouded by other people’s and your own expectations, therefore you ignore it because it doesn’t fit with the self-image you have of yourself.
You are not your own self-image. You are merely your actions. Your actions determine who you are and who you’ll become. If your actions are inherently wrong then what does that say about you?
Self-reflection is an art and truthful self-reflection is a discipline
You will be in a constant struggle with your ego. You must discipline yourself to cast it aside when you’re doing your annual self-review.
Analysing yourself can be tough.
Because it means you may have to face some inner demons that you’ve kept to yourself for a long time. Self-analysing will uproot these inner issues and force you to face the truth, even when you don’t want to. You can either accept what you’ve learned or go into denial (which isn’t a good thing to do). Learn to face your ego and go beyond it.
Self-analysation isn’t always pretty
But it isn’t always bad either. Sometimes it can enlighten you that what you’ve been doing was right all along and that you should continue on that path. Sometimes all you need is a slight adjustment on your course.
Anyways sitting down and thinking about your life and where you’re headed is one the most revealing things you can do to learn more about yourself, and getting a sense of how your life is shaping up.
You don’t need to tell anyone about it, don’t feel the need to share if you don’t want to. This is something that is private. As long as you can tell yourself what’s going on and then take necessary steps to change your life then don’t feel the need to impose this new found knowledge on anyone(unless you want to).
But know that the pain that you might feel from facing your inner demons, or the sense of being lost when you don’t know where you’re headed with your life is only temporary but necessary for your further growth. Whatever pain or pleasure you might feel, know that this too shall pass.
At the end of the tunnel
You were probably expecting the above title to have a “Light” in the beginning.
Yet this is not something I can promise you after you’ve undergone some deep soul searching. What you’ll find might not please you. But learn to accept it regardless for what it is, because it is yet another stepping stone on your path. It’s an indication that you can improve and grow. If you really put your mind into it and take necessary actions, you WILL move pass it.
We can always be better. We can always improve and grow. Self-analysation is not the end but merely the beginning of something grandeur.
The first step in this is admitting something might be wrong, admitting your failures and figuring out what you’re doing wrong.
Only then can you move past it and into something better.
