You Are Unique — Get to Know Yourself
Exploring the layers of self and remembering who we truly are beneath the stories we tell.
How much do we really know ourselves? It seems like such a simple question, but when we begin to explore it, we quickly discover layers of thoughts, feelings, ideas and physical influences that all compete to tell us who we are. Which of these are true and what part of ourselves can we trust?
After deeper thought and self-reflection, so much of what I thought was me and built the foundation of my belief system I found was only temporary. Tracing back different parts that came from childhood conditioning, social expectations and career illusions. As I became more aware of myself, I began to realise that I am not my thoughts as they come and go, I am not my feelings as they change from hour to hour, and I am not my body as it changes over time. Nothing within our ever-changing, finite world can define the infinite being that each and every one of us is. When we a little become closer to the realisation of our infinity, each finite part of us can reflect, embody and respect the multidimensional being that is our true essence.
Defining Ourselves in Relevant Terms
If someone asked you simply, “Who are you?” what would your answer be? For many of us, we are not defined by our job title, our role within our family, our achievements, or accolades. So, who are you?
You may choose to begin with qualities: kindness, creativity, passion or love. These may define an aspect of who we are, but not at every moment. I am an artist, but when I describe myself as creative, I am not always creative. Sometimes I don’t want to paint or draw, so even those descriptive qualities are only temporary expressions, and not the essence of who we are. For every word, thought or expression of feeling decided upon by the conscious mind, there is a deeper truth that eludes us. The human being cannot be summarised by a fragment of our infinite experience.
It is very easy for us to get caught up in the story of who we are, flattering ourselves with our own sense of achievement. Our mind loves to quantify and construct an identity, to revel in our own brilliance. This is amazing and lovely, but it is not the whole truth of who we are. When other people believe the illusion of who they think we are, or we believe the story we have told ourselves, this is when things start to fall apart. We find out very quickly that we never meet the expectations of ourselves or others and don’t feel the illusion of our identity is authentic. This can cause a withdrawal from the world and a feeling of lack or insufficiency.
Peeling Back the Layers
The journey of self-enquiry is not about creating a new identity, it’s more about asking ourselves what resonates and what no longer resonates. Allowing parts of us to find their own place within our energetic system and not allowing them to define our actions or how we show up in the world. Over the years, I like to think of this as a remembering of who we are, and a letting go of the categorisation and judgement of experience.
We start to notice where we’ve absorbed beliefs that aren’t ours, where we try to fit expectations, and where we hold an illusion of a consciously defined purpose. The more parts we release, the closer we come to something that feels more correct, an awareness untouched by the conscious mind and the tools of our physical, emotional and spiritual selves.
You Do Not Function the Way You Think
You are not your thoughts, and you are not your feelings. They come and go, ebb and flow like waves upon the ocean. You are not your past or your future, as they don’t exist. You are not your body as it changes over time. All of these are tools of experience. You exist infinitely and multidimensionally in the presence of now.
“You hold the space where all of this manifests and reflects the true essence of your being.”
Understanding this poses another question, what is a constant in my life and what is the part of me has been present since birth? You are the timeless awareness that has been with you since the beginning of your life on Earth. The loving presence of you, you see the manifestation of this every day. The kindness that arises within you, the happiness you experience, the joy when in conversation with others, the beauty you see in the world around you. This is all a reflection of the authentic loving presence of you.
Becoming Closer to Your True Nature
Feel into your uniqueness, embrace it and follow where it leads you, explore what you like and what makes you smile. Listen to the feedback of yourself. Follow your curiosity, not to find a conclusion or understand the meaning of life, but to embrace your unique experience in the here and now with the deeper knowledge that we are all connected and part of the whole.
This knowing can change things. Take the pressure off yourself and remove any preconceived perceptions of measure, what society thinks success looks like, what people think the world should be, or their theories of life and the world. All these thoughts and ideas are generated by minds that can’t understand they’re infinite nature, and that everyone and everything is connected and part of the whole. The infinite is impossible to comprehend for the finite mind, but it is felt in the essence of love and uniqueness of our being. This deeper knowledge starts to dissolve the boundaries between “you,” “others,” and “the world.”
Why This Matters
Take the pressure off yourself. The more you know and embrace your own uniqueness, the less you need to prove yourself or seek approval from others. Life stops being about performance and becomes about alignment and appreciation.
You are unique, not because of what you do or the perception of others, but because of the nature of what you are. The simple act of becoming closer to yourself is more than enough and can change our world. Just be you!
An Invitation
If this post has stirred a curiosity to explore and return to your voice within, you may like to consider a 1:1 session with me. I hold space for your connection with yourself—an exploration of the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual layers—and the alignment we can find within ourselves.
