All about self

Self awareness is the art of understanding ourselves. Why we act the way we do, our thoughts, emotions, likes, dislikes, goals, feelings, who we are, what we want to become, where we want to go, our capabilities, and limitations. 

Self awareness has been linked to the ability to make better decisions and informed choices. To create a life we desire and ultimately relate better to the world around us.

The desire to learn more about oneself is the basis of personality assessment tools like Myers Brigg. 

I identify as an INFJ (Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Judging) personality type. I remember reading about INFJs and feeling a sense of being understood. I have spent my life feeling like a misfit. I connect with people yet feel disconnected at the same time. I dislike being forced to do things in a highly structured way. My thoughts are abstract;  I silently rebel; I can be opinionated, overtly idealistic, and stubborn but most people wouldn’t know these things about me. 

While these personality assessment tools provides valuable insight, it can rarely describe a person fully. We are all intricately made, and have our unique traits. Yet, we are similar in our human-ness. Self awareness taken to an extreme can become a form of self obsession.

Sometimes, this self obsession expresses itself in the form of service. Like Thomas the tank engine, we ask ourselves, “Am I a really useful engine?” “Have I found my purpose?” “Did my purpose blow your mind away?” “How come you don’t serve the way I do, you lazy thing?”. 

The answer to all these questions must be a resounding yes. We feel the need to propel ourselves into more intense service-based activity, all the while judging those who don’t meet our mark. 

"He must become greater, I must become less". John the Baptist was definitely not talking about a wishy-washy kind of humility. This was more of a realization that any desire to puff ourselves up, looking for validation and feeling the need to be important, will never serve its intended purpose.

Maybe, we want to be known as people of faith, people of prayer, people who raise their kids well, people who are hard working, have integrity, people with authenticity and genuineness, people with talent and ability, people who are kind and loving, people who other people will look up to.

CS Lewis said it best when he described the anti-self-obsessed person -

Do not imagine that if you meet a really humble man, he will be what most people call ‘humble’: He will not be always telling you that, of course, he is a nobody. 

Probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him. If you do dislike him, it will be because you feel a little envious of anyone who seems to enjoy life so easily. He will not be thinking about humility: He will not be thinking about himself at all.