Reconnecting to ourselves doesn’t have to be big. It doesn’t have to include grand gestures or pricey spa days or week-long retreats. It can be small. And it can be totally doable, even if you have a demanding schedule, even if you don’t have much time to yourself. In this article, we shall discuss how to reconnect with your true self.
And you know what the best part is? Our truest self is always with us, in the here and now. We just get disconnected, or it gets pushed beneath the surface by pain and fear. But no matter how far we stray from our deeper self, we can always return home.
Here are some small steps and activities to take and try:
- Ask yourself daily, How am I doing?
- Try not to judge your emotions (and yourself for feeling them): I shouldn’t be sad! I’m terrible for feeling jealous! I’m so weak for feeling anxious. I’m awful for getting angry.
- Sit in silence, without scrolling on your phone, without listening to music, without doing anything other than listening to your heart beat.
- Practice a guided meditation every evening.
- Take a walk, without your headphones.
- Listen to the sounds of nature, which can help you listen to yourself.
- Create art. Write short stories or books. Paint something. Pen a poem about yourself, about the sunset, about a difficult (or exciting) emotion. Make a collage of random images that resonate with you. Snap photos of your favorite objects.
- Dance. To slow music. To an upbeat tempo. In a class. By yourself. With someone.
- Ask yourself sometimes, What am I loving/liking/savoring right now?
- Ask yourself, What’s on my mind? What’s on my heart? Maybe jot it down in a journal.
- Spend time in natural surroundings. The beach. The park. A botanical garden. The forest. A lake.
- Take a series of self-portraits and really look at yourself. With kind eyes.
- Start working with a therapist or life coach.
- Make a list of all your dreams and wants and wishes. Think about how you can make one of them come true this month.
- Schedule a monthly date with yourself, whether that’s spending an entire day doing whatever the heck you want, or reading a book at a coffeeshop that you can’t put down for an hour, or getting your favorite ice cream at your favorite place, and savoring every creamy bite.
- Ask yourself, How can I care for myself? How can I care for myself mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually? Today? This week? This month?
- Find a piece, a slice, a chunk of beauty in something: in your own eyes, in your child’s eyes, in yesterday’s sky, in the errand you ran, in a book you’re reading.
- Create a small space at home that includes all your favorite things—books, essential oils, a journal, candles, family photos, calming images, your kids’ artwork—and spend some time there every morning and every night.
- Surround yourself with the things that inspire you. Get rid of the things that don’t (as much as possible).
- Get out – Take a night off and spend time with a good friend. If you’re a mom with young kids, spend time with a loved one without the kiddos (and keep the topic of kids off the table!). Taking time away from your many jobs and titles helps the real you shine through.
- Get still – Sometimes the busyness of life makes us feel like we’re going crazy. Stop all the rushing and get still for a few minutes. If you like to meditate, do yoga, pray, or have another spiritual practice… get to it! If none of these practices call to you, simply stop, put your hand on your heart, and take a deeeep breath. Taking a moment or two to pause helps us to feel grounded and to hear our heart calling to us.
- Get creative – Creative expression is a powerful (and fun!) way to connect with who you are and let it radiate outwards. A creative practice will allow you to grow, explore your heart’s path, follow your intuition, build confidence in yourself, and so much more. Art journaling especially is a great tool, as it combines creative expression and reflective journaling.
- Get present – With our lives being played out so much on the internet and in our heads, it’s a good practice to notice surroundings. Look around. Really pay attention. Perhaps get yourself out in nature. Dig your toes into the earth. Evoke your five senses.
- Get clear – Your values, desires, and passions are part of what makes you unique. When you’re feeling disconnected with yourself, take some time to reflect on what’s most important to you. That will remind you of what it is you really want in life.
In summary, reconnecting to ourselves is made up of slowing down, and listening, and learning, and exploring, and playing, and wondering, and being interested in and being inquisitive about what’s going on inside.
It is about realizing that you’re important, too, and that all relationships stem and start from that vital relationship with yourself. I hope you find this article helpful.
