Who were you before anyone told you who to be?
I wish it weren’t true that we needed to see our reflection in the eyes of others to know that we are real. Because the eyes that saw me, reflected me back to myself as someone consummately undeserving, valueless, burdensome + unworthy.
The mirror became an analysis mechanism. A tool meant only for observing and perfecting inadequacy. I became quite good at being excellent and I became excellent at never seeing my own goodness.
Can you relate? Who were you before anyone told you how to be? Was your soul given room to breathe? To grow? Could you become freely?
As I see it, recovering yourself requires you to disempower the perception you were given + recreate it clean. Below are some reflective prompts that can fuel your exploration.
Self Discovery Journal Prompts ✍️
What parts of me survived even when they were discouraged?
What did I get punished for that was actually a strength?
How would I describe myself if I wasn’t scared of being seen?
What story did my family or environment tell about me?
What version of me emerges when I’m not being watched?
Whose voice lives in my head?
What traits did I suppress to make other people comfortable?
What do people consistently come to me for?
What do I create effortlessly that others struggle with?
Where does my brilliance show up even when I’m hurting?
What results did I produce even in survival mode?
What beliefs about myself did I inherit that I no longer agree with?
What did I learn I ‘wasn’t allowed’ to be?
Who would I become if I stopped minimizing myself?