Personal Self Help
Our society is, for the most part, obsessed with material goods. We buy new clothes and furniture and gadgets, in an effort to find happiness. What we don't consider is that all of this consumption distracts us from our true purpose in life: personal growth.
In this post I want to teach you how to identify what you need and go after it, without losing sight of your other responsibilities. This process is called "self-actualization", and you can use it to restore your inner peace.
Self actualization means developing the full potential of your own mind and character, putting those potentials into action. Although the terms "self" and "actual" are ambiguous, I think you can understand what I mean without too much difficulty.
When we are young, our parents define for us what we should be like.
As we grow older, however, we are left with the question: Who am I?
Knowing who you are is not the same as understanding what you want to do. Self actualization centers on the latter question. It's a process of clarifying and defining your desires, while simultaneously developing your personality.
I think self actualization ties in with many other aspects of personal growth – and that's why I wrote this article.
One of the problems I've encountered over the past few years is that I am more of an idealist than a realist. So, I will outline how you can live out your goals in life, no matter how idealistic they might be.
When self actualizing, we start by defining our core beliefs and principles. This allows us to avoid being swept off our feet by temporary feelings and emotions. We can then set specific goals for ourselves, based on our principles and beliefs.
Let me explain by considering a simple example:
What is self actualization? – A practical definition for you to use
(a) You are responsible for yourself – you're the only one who can live as you want. Nobody else can do this for you. However, there is a group of people who also set goals and dreams, and they're called "co-creators". They include your parents, family, teachers, mentors etcetera.
(b) You are responsible for your body and mind – this is a consequence of (a). It means you have to eat right, exercise and practice relaxation.
(c) Most people do not live their lives with this awareness – they have been programmed by others to act the way they do.
(d) Knowledge is gained through observation and experience – you can learn how to live your life by observing what others do, but you must experience it for yourself.
(e) You need to get clarity on what you want – this is the first step in the self actualization process.
(f) You must take action – life is all about action, not just observation and experience. There will be many modes of action available to you. However, if you are unclear about your goals, it will be difficult to choose a specific mode of action.
(g) You must trust your power – this is a very important aspect. Consider this: the more you trust your ability to be successful, the better your chances of success. The less you trust yourself, the more likely it is that you will fail.
(h) You must have faith in yourself – self actualization requires that you believe in yourself, and that you have confidence in what you're doing. If you don't believe in yourself, there's no point setting goals for yourself, because it will be difficult to succeed.
(i) You must face obstacles and challenges – no matter what you do, there will be some kind of obstacle on your way to success. Computers are designed in a certain way, because they have to deal with different types of problems. If you have the right mindset, obstacles can help you to develop further.
(j) You must be aware of your inner wisdom – this kind of awareness comes naturally over time. It is the foundation upon which everything else is built.
(k) You need to understand that everyone has free will – your actions have consequences, and you must accept these consequences whether you like it or not.
(l) You need to know how to deal with negative feelings – feelings such as anger can be powerful motivators, but they can also be destructive. It is important to learn how to handle these feelings in a positive way.
(m) You can't do everything – self actualization requires that you draw boundaries around what you want to do. You have a limited amount of time, energy, resources and skills. As a result, you have to choose what you want to do carefully. If a certain task does not fit into your goals and principles, it is better to leave it for another day.
(n) You need enough money to cover your basic expenses – if you want to achieve self actualization, there is one thing that you cannot compromise on: the minimum amount of money needed to cover your basic expenses.
(o) You need to work on your self-esteem – if your self esteem is low, it will be difficult for you to succeed in life.
(p) Be aware that you have a choice – this is the most important element of self actualization. If you are unaware of the choices that you have, the chances are high that they will not be what you want.
(q) Accept reality – if you expect something to be perfect, it generally won't turn out that way.
Conclusion
Self actualization can be a powerful tool. However, I think that it can also be self-destructive if you are reckless or impatient. The process of self actualization is simple in theory, but difficult in practice. You will always meet obstacles on your way to success, and you have to keep working hard to overcome these obstacles. I believe that this is what makes self actualization so exciting, and why so many people are drawn to it.
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Personal Self Help