knowing me, knowing you

Know yourself.

When I was a teenager, I was always reading tons of "hippy-dippy" books from the self-help section of bookstores, in an effort to really understand myself as a person more. I was a confused kid with the weight of a lot of things on my shoulders, and it only made sense to look for answers somewhere. I'd drive 45 minutes north to the Borders bookstore just to sit for an hour or two on the floor and try to find a book that held some amazing truth.

I came across a book once that had a chapter titled "Know Yourself." For whatever reason, it stood out to me at the time. I wrote it down when I got home on a sheet of paper and tacked it to the wall. Most of the time, that piece of paper was easily forgotten, but occasionally I would see it and read it once more, taking in the words and thinking about what they really meant - thinking about what they really meant to me.

Now, many years later, I still find myself repeating those words in my head, sometimes consciously and sometimes subconsciously. Know yourself. It sounds simple enough, but there are times when the simple act of knowing yourself helps you gain clarity when you most need it.

I know my strengths, and I know my weaknesses. When I'm striving for something great, the act of knowing I'm persistent and brave can be all I need to push myself further toward achievement. And when I'm feeling less than okay (knowing that I'm human and have limitations), being self aware of myself helps give permission to just live in the funk for a little while and know that it will soon pass. I know myself, and it makes all the difference.