Difficult moments may not be easy to comprehend at times, but there is always wisdom that comes from suffering or any challenge in life. It takes a great deal of grace to look back upon events in your life where you struggled and uncover the lessons.
However, by doing so, you begin to recognize another story was at play, just waiting beneath the surface for you to see and understand it. This story tells the tale of your true self, that part of you that is beyond familiar habits, beliefs, fears, and wishes. As you explore it, feelings of truth, liberation, and compassion are revealed because it takes you to the core of your being--where your true self resides. If you live from this place of truth, which is authentic to only you, every day can feel like you are living life as your best self.
Your True Self Is Your Best Self
Contrary to how you may feel, now is the perfect time to start deeply exploring who you are and what living from your true self feels like. Right now, you are being asked to spend more time at home, and this can be seen either as a prison, or your personal retreat into liberation. The more you tap into this part of yourself, the more it builds your resilience to external influences and hardships, and offers new perspectives that can help you transcend any fear-based thinking that may be running rampant right now.
As you uncover your story, you may feel inspired to set forth in a new direction that supports your true calling. Be sure to share your gifts and talents with the world—it’s an important part of being your best self.
But what if you have no idea what your gifts and talents are? If you fall into this category, you are not alone. You may have grown up not thinking in these terms. It requires a change in awareness and the faith that you, like every other person in this world, has something to offer that someone can benefit from.
Here are some ways of becoming your best self.
Maintain Self-Care Practices
Being your best self means thriving—not simply surviving. Thriving means all parts of yourself are working in harmony: mind, body, and spirit. They work together to support the multidimensional being that you are, which is beautifully complex.
Ancient healing practices still in use today such as Ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine, and indigenous medicine, understood these complexities, and all layers of a person are taken into consideration when healing. Keep this in mind as you explore your inner world (spirit) and seek ways to support yourself, both physically and mentally, in the form of self-care practices. Taking this approach will enhance your life in profound ways, including living life as your best self.
Gratitude has become an important part of the self-help world in recent years because of its many benefits. When you look back upon your life, there is gratitude for the wisdom you gained, the people you encountered, the precious moments you will never forget, and the list goes on. The more you reflect on what you are grateful for, the easier it is to get into a space of love and compassion for yourself and others.
In addition to gratitude, you may already have self-care practices in place, and if you don’t, here are some to consider implementing:
Try one or two and see how it feels. Find something you enjoy doing. Be sure to give it a few tries before you give up or try another one. This type of work is about long-term results versus the quick cures you may be used to.
Join Oprah Winfrey and Deepak Chopra for our 21-Day Meditation Experience: Creating Peace from the Inside Out, to learn how to resolve conflict in challenging relationships and connect with yourself.
Ask the Four Soul Questions
Your transformation will lead to an expansion of self-awareness, and you will notice your inner dialogue start to change. After all, you can’t solve problems with the same level of awareness that created them. Another helpful adage is, “Where attention goes, energy flows.” You will be amazed by what you begin to see and experience just by changing what you focus on.
For example, if someone were to tell you that they just purchased a blue mustang, you might begin to see blue mustangs everywhere you go simply because your attention has been hooked. Your thoughts are packed with energy and information, and when you channel that energy in the right direction, the potential for change is powerful. This is especially relevant as you begin the practice of asking the soul questions.
One of the most powerful ways to cultivate change and find your true self is through meditation. Meditation is a conduit through which you gain access to your inner world, which resides in stillness. Only through stillness can the muddiness of water be settled enough to gain clarity. Even if you have never meditated before, you have experienced a bit of this stillness more times than you think. You were born from stillness, so it comes naturally to you, even if you must reteach yourself. Think of a walk in the forest, washing dishes, gardening, or listening to a babbling brook. There are moments in life that still the spirit, even if it’s just a few moments. When you meditate, you gain access to this world more and more.
It is in this place of stillness that you ask the questions that every human being has asked themselves at some point. They are called the four soul questions and they may be the most important questions you ever ask yourself.
You would generally ask these questions right before going into a meditation. By asking these soul questions you begin to create a new dialogue between yourself and the universe. You are telling the universe what you want to place attention on. Think of these questions as seeds you are planting in your consciousness, and you water them each time you ask or think about them.
Don’t worry if the answers don’t come right away. You may find the answers come much later at unexpected moments during daily activity. Remember not to struggle with this process; in the beginning, just simply asking the questions is momentous. Over time, these seemingly simple questions help you expand your ability to uncover the story of your true self as it begins to unfold.
Living life as your best self doesn’t mean every day is going to be perfect, just that you have the tools to navigate uncertainty and difficult moments with ease. By maintaining self-care practices and asking yourself these four soul questions, you can find and embrace your best self. "
Patience and flexibility are important when working with the soul questions. For example, what you want may not be what you think. Or it might evolve over time. Remember, you are a complex being. Who you are and what you want can be vastly different depending on your current vantage point. Keep in mind meditation helps to get you to your true vantage point.
There are different ways to work with the soul questions. You can meditate with them or journal your responses to each of the questions. If you get into a place where you are feeling a bit down, stop and take a moment to ask yourself the questions. When you do this, it helps to shift your energy and awareness to higher levels of thinking and being.
This is a life-changing journey and it’s different for every single person so don’t compare yourself to anyone else. The amount of strength and resilience that exists within you is awe-inspiring. Use it to start living a life where you can be your best self and own it. For some, it comes easy; others, it will take some time and perhaps a bit more effort, but you will get there in your own way.
Living life as your best self doesn’t mean every day is going to be perfect. It means that no matter what happens you will be able to navigate any rocky terrain you encounter in life with more ease. Maintain your self-care practices and align with your true self by asking the soul questions. These are simple but powerful tools that will help you live a fulfilling life—one that is thriving.
However, by doing so, you begin to recognize another story was at play, just waiting beneath the surface for you to see and understand it. This story tells the tale of your true self, that part of you that is beyond familiar habits, beliefs, fears, and wishes. As you explore it, feelings of truth, liberation, and compassion are revealed because it takes you to the core of your being--where your true self resides. If you live from this place of truth, which is authentic to only you, every day can feel like you are living life as your best self.
Your True Self Is Your Best Self
Contrary to how you may feel, now is the perfect time to start deeply exploring who you are and what living from your true self feels like. Right now, you are being asked to spend more time at home, and this can be seen either as a prison, or your personal retreat into liberation. The more you tap into this part of yourself, the more it builds your resilience to external influences and hardships, and offers new perspectives that can help you transcend any fear-based thinking that may be running rampant right now.
As you uncover your story, you may feel inspired to set forth in a new direction that supports your true calling. Be sure to share your gifts and talents with the world—it’s an important part of being your best self.
But what if you have no idea what your gifts and talents are? If you fall into this category, you are not alone. You may have grown up not thinking in these terms. It requires a change in awareness and the faith that you, like every other person in this world, has something to offer that someone can benefit from.
Here are some ways of becoming your best self.
Maintain Self-Care Practices
Being your best self means thriving—not simply surviving. Thriving means all parts of yourself are working in harmony: mind, body, and spirit. They work together to support the multidimensional being that you are, which is beautifully complex.
Ancient healing practices still in use today such as Ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine, and indigenous medicine, understood these complexities, and all layers of a person are taken into consideration when healing. Keep this in mind as you explore your inner world (spirit) and seek ways to support yourself, both physically and mentally, in the form of self-care practices. Taking this approach will enhance your life in profound ways, including living life as your best self.
Gratitude has become an important part of the self-help world in recent years because of its many benefits. When you look back upon your life, there is gratitude for the wisdom you gained, the people you encountered, the precious moments you will never forget, and the list goes on. The more you reflect on what you are grateful for, the easier it is to get into a space of love and compassion for yourself and others.
In addition to gratitude, you may already have self-care practices in place, and if you don’t, here are some to consider implementing:
- Exercising
- Meditating
- Practicing yoga
- Journaling
- Starting a gratitude list
- Taking a daily walk in nature
Try one or two and see how it feels. Find something you enjoy doing. Be sure to give it a few tries before you give up or try another one. This type of work is about long-term results versus the quick cures you may be used to.
Join Oprah Winfrey and Deepak Chopra for our 21-Day Meditation Experience: Creating Peace from the Inside Out, to learn how to resolve conflict in challenging relationships and connect with yourself.
Ask the Four Soul Questions
Your transformation will lead to an expansion of self-awareness, and you will notice your inner dialogue start to change. After all, you can’t solve problems with the same level of awareness that created them. Another helpful adage is, “Where attention goes, energy flows.” You will be amazed by what you begin to see and experience just by changing what you focus on.
For example, if someone were to tell you that they just purchased a blue mustang, you might begin to see blue mustangs everywhere you go simply because your attention has been hooked. Your thoughts are packed with energy and information, and when you channel that energy in the right direction, the potential for change is powerful. This is especially relevant as you begin the practice of asking the soul questions.
One of the most powerful ways to cultivate change and find your true self is through meditation. Meditation is a conduit through which you gain access to your inner world, which resides in stillness. Only through stillness can the muddiness of water be settled enough to gain clarity. Even if you have never meditated before, you have experienced a bit of this stillness more times than you think. You were born from stillness, so it comes naturally to you, even if you must reteach yourself. Think of a walk in the forest, washing dishes, gardening, or listening to a babbling brook. There are moments in life that still the spirit, even if it’s just a few moments. When you meditate, you gain access to this world more and more.
It is in this place of stillness that you ask the questions that every human being has asked themselves at some point. They are called the four soul questions and they may be the most important questions you ever ask yourself.
- Who am I?
- What do I want?
- What am I grateful for?
- What is my dharma or purpose in life?
You would generally ask these questions right before going into a meditation. By asking these soul questions you begin to create a new dialogue between yourself and the universe. You are telling the universe what you want to place attention on. Think of these questions as seeds you are planting in your consciousness, and you water them each time you ask or think about them.
Don’t worry if the answers don’t come right away. You may find the answers come much later at unexpected moments during daily activity. Remember not to struggle with this process; in the beginning, just simply asking the questions is momentous. Over time, these seemingly simple questions help you expand your ability to uncover the story of your true self as it begins to unfold.
Patience and flexibility are important when working with the soul questions. For example, what you want may not be what you think. Or it might evolve over time. Remember, you are a complex being. Who you are and what you want can be vastly different depending on your current vantage point. Keep in mind meditation helps to get you to your true vantage point.
There are different ways to work with the soul questions. You can meditate with them or journal your responses to each of the questions. If you get into a place where you are feeling a bit down, stop and take a moment to ask yourself the questions. When you do this, it helps to shift your energy and awareness to higher levels of thinking and being.
This is a life-changing journey and it’s different for every single person so don’t compare yourself to anyone else. The amount of strength and resilience that exists within you is awe-inspiring. Use it to start living a life where you can be your best self and own it. For some, it comes easy; others, it will take some time and perhaps a bit more effort, but you will get there in your own way.
Living life as your best self doesn’t mean every day is going to be perfect. It means that no matter what happens you will be able to navigate any rocky terrain you encounter in life with more ease. Maintain your self-care practices and align with your true self by asking the soul questions. These are simple but powerful tools that will help you live a fulfilling life—one that is thriving.
