Discover Your Inner Self

There have been a few studies that show that many people are uncomfortable when they’re alone.  By that I mean completely alone with no cellphone or computer, no television or music.  Just silence.  We should actually embrace that time and use it for getting to know the real you.  I urge everyone to discover your inner self in retirement because I don’t think most people are comfortable with who they are.  I think that’s why you see most people sit down and immediately pull out their cellphone instead of enjoying the moment wherever they are.  People focus on what is going on in everyone else’s life rather than what’s going on in their own head.

Being focused on other people rather than ourselves can be a very good thing.  Being self-centered and self-absorbed is never a good thing.  But it’s different when you try to discover your inner self.  Most people will agree that human beings are amazing creatures, but most people are hesitant to admit that they, as individuals, are amazing as well.  We sometimes deny the gifts we were born with and shut down our inner desires when we think people might laugh at us if we try something new.  Henry David Thoreau wondered how many people go to their grave with their music still inside them.  You have an inner set of fantasies and desires that you choose to ignore or have forgotten about entirely.  My challenge is to discover your inner self the next time you’re by yourself and see if something inside you is awakened.

Henry David Thoreau wrote that everyone should discover your inner self.

Think back to the activities that you did in your youth.  Take out your high school yearbook and think about your old friends and what you did with them.  Think about those things you wished you had done.  Did you always want to play an instrument but didn’t have the time or, worse, discouraged to learn?  How about artistic talents?  Did you enjoy drawing, sketching or painting?  Did you always like to write but were never sure how you could support yourself?  While living in the past is usually not a healthy thing, taking the time to rediscover those forgotten desires can make all the difference in the world.  Take the time to discover your inner self in retirement if you haven’t done so already. 

Retirement is the time to act on those discoveries.  There are no more excuses.  You don’t have a job to go to, and your calendar is clear.  Take up something new starting today.  If you can’t think of anything it might mean you’re not trying hard enough.  You’re basically saying you’ve done everything that I ever wanted to do, and my life is now complete.  If that’s the case, sit down right now and write down how you did all these things because you’ve discovered a great secret.  There’s a saying that you should dance like there’s no one watching and it touches on one of the biggest obstacles in life.  We fear what other people will think if we do something out of character.  If we try something new, what happens if we fail?  The answer is that nothing will happen, and you can try again.  Live your life as if you’re the only one watching.  Would you discourage a child who is learning something new?  Learn to nurture your inner child.  Discover your inner self and become comfortable with who you are and all that you’re meant to be.

The exciting thing for me was, when I made a serious list of everything I wanted my retirement to look like, I knew there wasn’t enough time in the day to do it all.  I’ll never get to all the things I would like to try or visit all the places I have a desire to see.

Another good thing about this exercise is that, although it’s great to be comfortable by yourself, it’s also a way to meet new people who are interested in the same things.  One of discoveries in our travels was how many people were just like us on our journeys.  We have met some very interesting people and have stayed in touch with quite a few of them.  Many have amazing stories to tell about why they’re interested in seeing an exact location.  Quite often they trace the steps of something in their past or visiting the place where their ancestors came from.  Discover your inner self and it might lead you to a search of a past relative who had those same interests or talents.  My wife met relatives in Spain she hadn’t seen in fifty years.  She did that after looking at pictures in an old family album and realized it was something she wanted to do.

Although travelling is a very popular item, money concerns can get in the way.  All I can say is don’t give up because there are ways to experience places today without having to visit.  There are wonderful documentaries available about almost any location you can think of and travel books that do a wonderful job of providing information about a specific location. The internet is a wonderful resource for just about anything your inner discovery process reveals.  You can research hobbies and get instructional videos about how to do almost anything from doing an oil painting to constructing furniture.  The only limit on what you can do is YOU.  Take the time to discover your inner self and get to work.  There are so many new things to learn and too many places to go to sit at home and do nothing.  It’s time to Enjoy Retired Life!

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