Self-Perception: Part 2

How I changed my perception of my self

In part one of this article, I wrote about the importance of cultivating a healthy perception of self.

It is one of the main ways we can unlock our hidden potential. It is also how we can begin to unearth the layers of shame, guilt, fear that blocks us and keeps us small in life.

My perception of myself has shifted greatly over the past few years, and there are several reasons for this- the main one being, the relentless work I have done on myself to understand myself better.

How can we perceive ourselves accurately if we don’t even know ourselves?

I’m afraid many people go through life never really knowing themselves. Perhaps this is why Diana C. was onto something big when she created the publication Know Thyself Heal Thyself. She is inspiring the way she asks deep questions and how she has created a space of uplifted consciousness where we can all collaborate and share stories.

When we get to know ourselves we learn important truths we may not have ever realized. It is this constant realization and discovery process that I believe makes us wiser, more resilient, and better able to form a healthy perception of ourselves.

The way I changed my perception of myself was through deep diving into learning and understanding myself.

And these are just a few of the ways I went about this.

• Daily journaling
• Asking myself hard questions.
• Answering hard questions about myself and when I didn’t know the answer- keeping myself receptive and open to eventually receive the answer.
• Allowing myself to move through whatever I needed to. Difficult emotions, discomfort, Changing and challenging external life events.
• Allowing myself to relate to certain labels but not letting them rule me.
• Giving myself more time and space than usual.
• Saying no to people.
• Creating greater boundaries.
• Practicing self-compassion in the most difficult of times.
• Forging greater awareness of myself and other people, and dynamics in relationships.
• Honouring my feelings and thoughts first, whilst still being compassionate and kind to other people’s perceptions and points of view.

These are only a handful of ways I learned to get to know myself better.

And getting to know me better naturally led to me having a healthier relationship and perception of myself.

Another way I like to look at the work I am doing with myself is that I like to think about the gentle kindness I have brought to my caring jobs and relationships over the years. Bingz Huang has inspired me to bring out my gentleness more in my life too. I like to remind myself of the parts of me that hold deep compassion and care for others and allow that for myself now too.

Allowing gentleness, kindness, and compassion for myself has shown me that my gifts aren’t only for other people to enjoy, but for me to enjoy too.

Allowing myself this has enabled me to change my perception of myself too because I feel loved and appreciated by myself.

Working on my attachments to people and outcomes is another way I am releasing old patterns that brought me down.

I want connection, not attachment.

I perceive myself as strong since working on releasing my attachment to others. I perceive myself as brave since doing this deep work on myself. I perceive myself as beautifully unique the more I recognize my once hidden qualities. I perceive myself as wonderfully weird and unique with thanks to Marcus for his encouragement and inspiration.

I can participate with the natural rhythms, signs, and synchronicities of the universe even more since opening myself up in ways I never knew possible.

My perception of myself has changed and it has been an incredible evolution, and will continue to be.