How many versions of yourself do you have? How many versions of you do you dance between on a daily basis? You probably have moments where you wake up in the morning and whip yourself up even though you only had 4 hours of sleeps. You probably also have moments when you cannot will yourself to get out of bed even though you know you have a full day of work.
You know those moments when you are crawling into bed and want to be held? That is a part of you. That version of you that stands up during meetings and confidently expresses your concerns and shares your ideas proudly? That is a part of you too.
I recently listened to a podcast on the Waking Up App titled “Psychedelics and The Self” that featured Sam Harris and James Fadiman. I was very excited to listen to this podcast because I am becoming increasingly interested in learning about how psychedelics can positively affect the psyche and help with healing from trauma. A few months back I invested in psychedelic stocks because I truly believe in the next few years psychedelics such as psilocybin and possibly MDMA, will become legalized and commonly practiced in a professional setting. In this podcast Fadiman, an American psychologist and writer, spoke about his knowledge of psychedelics and his opinion about how it should be used and with who. Fadiman is commonly referred to as the “father of psychedelics” due to his extensive work in the field of psychedelic research.
There was one point that in the podcast that really struck me. Fadiman pointed out that we all have multiple selves and that the key to success is knowing when to locate and use the self that best fits the situation. For example, you may have the ability to crawl on the floor and be silly with a baby, while also having the ability to firmly discipline a child who has just stolen from a store. Those are two different ways of acting that one person has the ability of doing. If you use your silly side when you try to discipline the child you will probably find that the child will not take you seriously and instead continue to steal. Knowing when to use your different selves will help you to be more successful and obtain desired results. As a Gemini, I am well aware that I am a rather complex human being. I have so many different traits and moods and sometimes I find that I do not always bring out my strong side when I need to. There is a part of me that can command a room and really stand up for myself and others. I also have an extremely timid side that would much rather sit on the sidelines and not rock the boat. My mission is to use this knowledge and perform the necessary actions. It is just as important to know when to confidently demand something as it is to know when to sit on the sidelines and allow someone else to lead. I have had moments where my Gemini nature has made me feel really bad about myself. Instead of feeling like a well-rounded individual, I have had moments where I feel like a nut job because I am not always emotionally consistent. This podcast episode has taught me that all sides of me are equally significant and that knowing when to bring out either side will help me to thrive and live a more elevated life.
Understanding the various parts of yourself can help you to elevate your life and be successful in all areas. Truly understanding the various versions of yourself takes time, patience, and a generous amount of self reflection. Here are some ways to learn more about yourself:
Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness simply means being in the present moment, whatever that moment is. When you are present you have the ability to be aware of who you are and how you are acting. Without this awareness, it is extremely easy to think that you are a one dimensional individual. Use mindfulness to show yourself that you are well rounded. Part of practicing mindfulness includes tracking your thoughts. We all have subconscious thoughts flowing through our heads throughout the day. Though we are not conscious of these thoughts, they greatly impact our behavior and beliefs. When you pay attention to what you think, you can identity thoughts that do not serve you and replace them with thoughts that do.
Celebrate all sides
You cannot use one of your sides to your advantage if you are constantly hating on it. There are certain traits that are known to be put down, such as shyness and intensity. These traits are only negative depending on how you are viewing them. Put aside judgement and allow yourself to find ways in which these traits are positive. For example, maybe your shyness is the exact thing that helps you to be a better observer and amazing listener. That isn’t so bad right? Making an effort to see all sides of yourself in a positive light will help you to make better outcomes and overall have higher self esteem.
Let’s grow together.
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