Let’s Get Curious: How Well Do You Know Yourself?

It’s easy to lose sight of ourselves. As we navigate our daily lives, we tend to be more focused on what’s happening around us than what’s happening within us. And we forget that its what’s happening within us that creates what’s happening outside of us.  Yes, we know certain things about who we are, what’s triggers us, things we like or things we don’t like, but how often do we take the time to dig deeper? See what’s behind those triggers, those likes and dislikes, see why we are the way we are.  This week, I thought it would be fun to get curious! Curiosity brings forth so much power, introspection and insight. It’s one of my favorite things to play with. So together, let's spend some time peeling back the layers and diving into our inner workings starting with a with a focus on our emotions. After all, its our emotions that shape our behaviors.

Understanding what makes us tick and what triggers us is not only crucial for personal growth, but it’s an important aspect of living a happy and peaceful life.  It’s not just about knowing our likes and dislikes but about exploring the why behind them. What makes us happy? What angers us? Why do we react the way we do in certain situations? By answering these questions, we gain insight into our emotional landscape, which is essential for emotional regulation. So how do we do this? Mindfulness is the best place to start! Yes, I said it.  Now before you jump to your various opinions about it, just hear me out. Lets’ start with a clean slate.

Mindfulness has often been portrayed as something only for yogis or those deeply connected with nature. While this may be partially true, but at its core, mindfulness is simply about being present and curious within ourselves. Our world is filled with distractions, and our minds are constantly occupied. Rarely do we take still moments to truly understand who we are and why we are the way we are, which can lead to some magnificent insights!  

Participating in mindfulness can significantly benefit our emotional regulation. In other words, it can make us feel calmer regardless of what’s happening around us. By witnessing our emotions, sitting with them, and allowing them to pass through us, we remove the control they have over us. This doesn’t mean it’s always easy. Even with practice, it can be challenging. However, resisting our emotions often leads to more stress, negative feelings and worsening behaviors. Life is so much better on the other side.

To reap the benefits of mindfulness, let’s start by changing our perception of it. Mindfulness isn’t just about meditation or yoga (although these are great activities as well), it’s about being present and curious in our daily lives. Taking moments to reflect on our emotions and reactions. It doesn’t have to be planned; it can happen in any moment you choose. Understanding we have access to this type of self reflection at any time, wherever we are, gives us the freedom and control to actively participate in our lives and create choices that align with our true selves. Building this practice can take time, just like building muscle, but starting with a few minutes every day, you’ll find it gets easier and easier and you become more curious about yourself.

So for fun, let’s explore some ways to create mindful moments and start building that muscle of emotional regulation:

1. Daily Reflection

Set aside a few minutes throughout the day to reflect on your emotions. Ask yourself how you’re feeling and why you’re feeling this way.  If you like, write down your thoughts to track patterns and triggers. This will raise you level of curiosity bring about many new questions to think about and reflect upon later.

2. Journaling

This is one of my favorites and most effective ways of being curious within myself. I can ask myself a specific question, and I usually find my internal voice answering the question rather quickly. It ends up being a conversation between my thoughts and reality, and sometimes it’s quite amusing, but I’m a true believer that we all know what’s best for us and we are the experts in our own lives, so this journaling in this way achieves great success and is a true fan favorite.   

3. Reflective meditation

Another one of my favorites, and it pairs well with journaling.  Reflective meditation is where you ponder on a specific question, a certain though you are curious about. Get into a relaxed position, close your eyes, ask yourself the question, and allow your thoughts to go anywhere and everywhere. Just let your mind loose. You will experience a spectrum of thoughts, and that’s great, it’s your creative mind sorting them out.

These are only a few select tools, there are plenty more to use and I’ll write about them in future blogs, but it’s a great place to get you started. By incorporating these practices into your daily routine, you can be curious and start to build the muscle of emotional regulation. Remember, it’s not about perfection but about progress. Each step you take towards understanding yourself better is a step towards a more mindful and fulfilling life.

Let’s embark on this journey together and get a little curious. Who knows what we might discover about ourselves along the way?