How Well Do You Know Yourself?

How well do you know yourself? Seriously. Not just that you like pickles and hate spinach. Or that you know you’d prefer a fuzzy sweater over a fancy dress. But the real stuff. Do you know what type of support you need when you’re feeling overwhelmed? Do you understand how you react when you’re stressed out? Are you aware of your strengths? Do you know how to listen to the signals in your body? Are you even aware of your own body?  

You see, each of those things is a part of what makes you, you. But so often we are unaware of those things. So often we just do whatever it takes to get through the day and overlook everything else. We ignore our bodies, we ignore our preferences, and we certainly don’t take time to honor the signals it is providing us.  

Coming into the holiday season it is so important to make sure you’re staying grounded, protecting your space, and taking time for self-care. Most importantly, listen to what your body is telling you.  

Do you get a pit in your stomach when you think about going to family dinner? Maybe you need to spend extra time protecting yourself before you step into that dining room.  

Do you crave sweets around the holidays? Maybe you need to increase your water intake, and make sure you’re staying grounded to avoid that stress response.  

Do you find yourself melting when you walk into your mom’s house? Maybe that’s a sign that you’re not allowing yourself to be cared for by the other people in your life.  

Were you so excited when you got an invite to dinner last week, but now that it’s here you don’t feel like going? Take a peek at where you’re at in your cycle. Chances are your ovulatory self was much more excited last week than your luteal self is today.  

Being aware of each of these signals from your body will help you to prevent them in the future. Not just during the holiday season, but all of the time. Click here to review previous posts on staying grounded, self-care, and protecting your space. Sleep when you need to sleep. When you’re thirsty and craving sugar, drink water. When you’re struggling to find your peace and happiness, do a white light meditation. When you’re feeling lonely and lost, get grounded.  

If you’re not aware of these signals, then it’s time to start to get to know yourself. In a learn-by-fire kind of way, the holiday season is a great time to experience many different situations. Start with self-awareness. No judgment, no fear, just you starting to become aware of how you handle each of these situations. Remember that growth takes time and that you’re always a work in progress. As long as you continue to work on becoming the best version of yourself, you’re doing a great job.