How to know yourself better? People often tell me that I know myself well, like it’s a different thing. It seems like it couldn’t be the same for them. Like everything in life, I truly believe that we can improve it. At least, that’s my growth mindset point of view, as Carol Dweck would describe in her book “Mindset.” Here, I will present to you three strategies I use on a daily basis to know myself better and get closer to my divine purpose.

Journaling

Jotting down your thoughts and feelings can be seen as a practice for little girls. At least, that’s how I thought about it not so long ago. Wrong! Last year, I ordered a blank journal in October. Funny thing, I ordered it before the biggest emotional challenge I faced, and I received it right after. Since then, I’ve written almost every day in it. It helped me express my gratitude for the beautiful things in my life. It also helped me ensure I am going in the right direction, noting down what needs to be worked on and what is going well. I’ve learned to connect with my emotions by labeling them. For men, I truly believe that when you are so integrated, you can reveal your emotions and not care what people might think of you. You are you. Moreover, I copy information and quotes in it, helping me remember better. The possibilities are endless.

Mindfulness

What is mindfulness? For me, it’s being fully present in the experience, being in the body. It’s quite simple to practice it while cycling. Rather than staring at our computers, we can look inward. Remember when there was no technology around? I know, it seems like we have all forgotten how life was before that digital shift. The point is that even in 2024, you can look inside and experience the full pleasure of the cycling experience. You can gauge your effort level by noticing your breathing and muscular activity. Data is good, but it’s even better when used to help you refine your intuition rather than making you dependent on it. Next time you’re out on a ride, feel the points of contact between your body and your bike. Feel your breathing and which muscles are working. Connect with your environment using your five senses. If you are doing hard efforts, don’t wish you weren’t doing them. Embrace the moment. Be there, happily feeling everything. Smile!

Reading

Shouldn’t I only look inside? I believe this is sound advice often heard in psychotherapy, but what does it really mean? Indeed, every piece of information that you gather should go through a cycle of evaluation where you compare it to your previous experiences—that’s called critical thinking. As Austin Kleon points out in his excellent book “Steal Like an Artist,” you find who you are by exploring the world. When doing creative work, stealing from one person is called plagiarism. But if you steal from 100 people, it is research. That applies to your life; to discover who you are, you must get inspired. You can get inspired by everything you can experience with your five senses. A great way is to read. A book, especially a non-fiction book, is a lifetime’s worth of work sold to you for about €15. I challenge myself to read at least a few pages every day. I see you there saying you don’t have the time. I make the time. Rather than opening a social media app when I feel bored, my new default activity is grabbing a book off my shelf. My brain is thanking me for that!

I hope this little article will inspire you to delve inside. Explore the world, pay attention, and pursue the truth—your truth. Know who you are and accept every part of you, including your shadow self, but that could be a topic for another entry. If you want more personalized advice, reach out, and I’ll do my best to point you in the right direction.