(Self) Discovery

I just came back from an incredible trip to Iceland, filling my eyes with sceneries of pristine nature, my lungs with fresh air, my ears with the sound of waves, seagulls and boiling pools of sulphur water, my heart with the excitement and fulfillment of exploring new unknown territories.

Discovery is for me a truly magic word, that brings back childhood memories of my little self starting step-by-step to explore the world around her.

What I find particularly fascinating is that while we discover the world, we discover more about ourselves, our inner beliefs, our values, our fears, our passions…

But it isn’t always an easy journey. Just as when we discover unknown territories we can get lost, get trapped in bad weather, be disappointed of places we have imagined different, so when we deep dive in our own self discovery we can see parts of ourselves we are not comfortable with nor so proud of, and be tempted to shut the door and just deny they are there.

How can we keep a mind open to the unexpected that comes with self discovery and avoid going back to the good old ways that give us security and protection?

A few aspects come to my mind: 

Act like a child! 

Young kids are curious about everything; they want to try, taste, take risks… Why is it that this deep curiosity gets somehow lost while we grow up? We stop asking others and ourselves all these questions, we start taking more and more things for granted and not question them, and the risk of getting trapped in routines is around the corner.

How can we get this curious look back again? Which types of non-judgemental conversations with ourselves and others can we have?  What open, infinite questions can we start asking ourselves and others?

Willingness to "let go"

What are we willing to let go of in order to discover more about ourselves? Are we ready to let go of the need to have everything planned and under control, or to be liked by our journey companions, or to be the one that always knows the best solution to solve any possible problem that arises throughout the journey?

Being kind to ourselves, accepting our fears and insecurities while stepping out of our comfort zone

Are we willing to forgive ourselves for all the wrong turns we took behind us and start looking ahead in order to have the smoothest path towards our desired destination, or are we stuck in blaming ourselves for the wrong turns, blaming someone else for giving us wrong directions or just denying we took the wrong turn, thus pretending this is exactly where we wanted to arrive?

Any journey of self discovery will have tough times. Kindness towards ourselves and trust in our own worthiness are the foundations to start from.

Let’s just practice talking to ourselves as we would talk to a dear friend!

Which other aspects do you see as crucial when starting your self discovery journey?