People have expectations. We have expectations for ourselves. We have expectations of other people. We have expectations from life in general. As much as one of these may be fulfilled, there is always going to be a bit that goes to the wayside—and that’s fine. Life, as it seems, is intertwined with so many other things. The magnitude of it is sometimes a bit much. That’s true for everyone. But somewhere along the way, we may lose track of what it is we want. Sometimes we lose track of what we like and what makes us happy. We imbued ourselves in the interwoven expectations and existence of so many other people and things that we kind of forget who we are. This happens to us all. Sometimes we need time and means to recalibrate. But there’s one thing for certain, we all need to get to know ourselves a little better. Here are 7 fun ways we can get to know the borders, the limitations, and the beauty of our person and character.
1. Art
One way that people get stuck in a loop is through repetitive and mundane tasks. This, unfortunately, is a reality for the vast majority of us. We work in offices and cubicles. We work from home, typing away at the computer—looking for inconsistencies in financial reports and HR forms but rarely finding any. We stare and scroll at people living lives we want to live. This repetitive loop is soul-sucking. One of the best ways to get out of it is through artistic expression. Art therapy is not new. It’s something that’s been employed by professional therapists and clinicians for decades. The access to this kind of therapy though is what’s bringing it to a much larger platform. When you’re engaging in art therapy, there is no expectation for you to be anything. You can be absolutely anything. You can be nobody. You can be yourself. You can simply create in all the colors you wish to create.
2. Writing
Writing has always been a manuscript of one’s mind and soul at that given moment. It’s the catharsis and the ability to bring it forth into the real world that makes writing so unique. It’s creating a scenario and an entire universe from one’s head in an eternal and communicative form. Let’s face it, none of us are Shakespeare. But that’s fine. You don’t have to be. Much like art therapy, writing in free form frees you from the bounds in your head. All the ideas that keep flying have a landing strip on the page. Writing doesn’t even have to be typed out or from a pen—although writing with one’s hand has a strange and more cathartic feel. You can get a recorder and let the ideas fly.
3. Endurance Training
One way that people find the limits of their minds is through endurance exercises. There’s nothing more humbling than running a mile after you haven’t done it for quite some time. Look at the time. Look at the pace. Feel the fire in your chest. That’s the limit. From there, you can push it to any bounds you wish. Endurance is less about your muscles and more about your ability to control your breath and control the urge to give up. That’s your mind. That’s nothing else but your mind. When you first start, it’s crucial to go easy on yourself. Know you’re just starting. Know you are establishing a baseline point for the first few weeks. From there you can build. But give time for your feet and your lungs to get used to it. Let your knees recover. Be nice to yourself. Suggested – 3 Items For Your Current Work From Home Setup
4. Powerlifting
On the flip side of the physical world is powerlifting. Powerlifting gets a bad rep from the old “power” gyms that popped up around the mid to late 1990s. Why? Well, the meatheads that controlled the gyms (some of the strongest gyms in the world, though) marketed themselves as something to be feared. In this day and age, that’s not true. Powerlifting has been associated with less injury and greater bone density than it’s Olympic Lifting counterpart and, of course, it’s untrained second cousin CrossFit. Powerlifting is all about how well your mind can connect all the muscles in your body for a wild and explosive bout at maximum effort. You’ll know where you stand, for sure.
5. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a perfect tool and environment for people who want to know themselves and test their limits in a friendly and accepting environment. Out of all the martial arts, there’s a vibe of “we just want to get better and raise each other”. You don’t see that very often in other forms of martial arts. The best part about BJJ is that you can train to your absolute max and never truly get hurt. You might go unconscious for a bit, but that’s nothing compared to being punched in the head by an unforgiving sparring partner. You can always tap out. That’s the beauty of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
6. Talk Therapy
Traditional therapy is still the gold standard. Finding someone that can help you get to the places you don’t want to go alone is invaluable. Investing the resources and time in a clinically trained professional with all sorts of experience is one of the single best choices you can make for yourself. Whether or not it’s fun is debatable. But more often than not, having someone to talk to and help you frees up that time and angst. They can facilitate you going out and creating your fun. They can help get you to the door where fun is possible. That alone is worth every second and every penny.
7. Try Everything
Lastly, why not try all the things? If it doesn’t harm you or others, and you’ve always wanted to, why not? Roller coasters? Go for it. SCUBA diving? Go for it. Walking up to a cute stranger and introducing yourself? You’ll kick yourself for not doing it. Try out all the things you’ve wanted to try out.
Getting to know yourself doesn’t have to be a serious endeavor. Sometimes it can be. Sometimes it’s uncomfortable. Then again, all change is uncomfortable. Figuring out who you are can be uncomfortable. Art, endurance, writing, martial arts—all of these are expressions of the self. Find what works for you and try it out. If not, you don’t have to. You do what makes you happy. Practicality can wait. Have a bit of fun.
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