Knowing Myself...

Thursday!

 

amyoes.com

Good Morning Everyone!
I want to introduce to you another guest blogger who is amazing and inspirational.  Alexis is a phenomenal writer with a great blog and book.  I was honored to guest post for her last week. 

I wrote on feeding my insatiable hunger (you can read my guest post HERE).

My Insatiaable Hunger on Alexis Donkin's Blog

 Read her reflection on self-discovery and ask yourself, how have you come to know yourself?

 

“Knowing Myself”
By Alexis Donkin

Once I knew myself, my path through life became easier, clearer, and all around better.

I remember as a child going to the fair with a domineering “friend.” We were six. She asked me if I had any money. I was an honest child, so I told her that yes, my mother had given me a twenty dollar bill. When I produced the bill, this little girl snatched it from my hand and proceeded to tell me we should immediately get all the tickets we could from the ticket booth. The girl gave the money to the ticket seller. Luckily, right in the middle of the transaction, her mother arrived, and forced the seller to refund us the money.

But the mother did not give me back my money. She held on to it.

I don't know if she gave it to my mom when I was picked up. All I know is how I felt when this girl took the money out of my hand, and how her mother did not give it back to me.

To this day, the memory stirs anger in my heart. At the time I didn't know anything about people, myself, or the world. I didn't understand that I needed time to observe before I could come to a conclusion or act. I didn't know that I hate being pressured to do anything by anyone. In fact, being pressured is the quickest way for someone to not get what they want out of me. I didn't know that I am a fairly possessive person by nature, and that when I see something as mine, I am deeply offended by anyone taking or using that thing without permission. I didn't know that I expected to be trusted by adults, and treated as equal, regardless of other characteristics. I didn't know my respect for a person is permanently damaged when I see him ignore or dismiss someone because of a single characterisitic.

I didn't know those things at the age of six. I barely knew my address. I'm not sure I knew my favorite color.

A lot has happened in the thirty some years since I had that twenty snatched from me. I've encountered plenty of people who wanted to domineer, get something, make a quick buck, or use me. I've been angry by little actions, like taking something without permission, and big ones, like taking advantage of  employees.

Now, however, I am more myself than I have ever been and I understand why I feel certain ways and what I can do about it.

Over the course of life, I've learned a lot about who I am, what I want, and my purpose for being. I know what I can do – for example, stick up for myself - and what I will not do under any circumstances – such as compromise my principles. I learned that everyone has their own journeys, with pain and joy, influences and ideologies. Those journeys are beautiful and powerful in their own right, and do not compete in any way with mine. I don't need to worry about where other people are on their paths. Instead I can cheer others on and celebrate their successes as they do for me. All I need to worry about is me, living my purpose, being the best me I can be.

I'm not finished learning about myself. As life continues, I will change. Knowing that, accepting that, I have a strategy for checking in with myself and adjusting my course (I even wrote a journal guide for others to follow my process, as well as remind myself of all the steps.). Now I don't worry about people taking my money or forcing me to choose something before I'm ready. I know I can say, “I'm going to look around the fair before I buy anything.”

My life is so much better because I know what I need and who I am. If someone can't respect the boundaries I've established, they probably don't know or accept themselves. In that case, it's a good idea for them to do some serious self-work. I can honestly say it was the best investment I ever made.

Alexis Donkin lives in Southern California with her family and real life familiar. She has lived many places and studied many things. She paints, sings, and dances when she's not writing or speaking. Pick up a copy of THRIVE: HOW I BECAME A SUPERHERO to read more about her personal journey. Be sure to connect with her and check out other books at http://alexisdonkin.com.

Thanks Alexis!  Be sure to check out her website and her book.  Let me and Alexis know...

Do you know who you are?