Who in the world am I?

This quote from Lewis Carroll – author of Alice in Wonderland – is widely used by many people. The full quote reads: “Who in the world am I? Ah, that is the great puzzle!”

The answer to a simple question like “Who are you?” is seldom describing your true self, but rather describing what you do; “I’m a consultant”, “I’m a doctor”, I’m a technician” or even “I’m a mom/dad”. Self-image is mostly determined by the perception that others have of you or how you compare with celebrities in the media or even how you see yourself in your working environment. But is that really you?

Most people find it easier to live up to the expectations of family and friends, thereby ignoring their own needs and preferences. They follow the road of least resistance and end up feeling lost, unhappy and incomplete.

Your true self is the composition of various aspects of your character; your talents and challenges. You can only discover your true self when you recognise and acknowledge that all the pieces of this precious puzzle are not the same size, nor do they all have the same bright colours. But as a whole, it displays a beautiful picture! It is the very same picture looking back at you in the mirror.