Aging with Grace

“My friend…care for your psyche…know thyself, for once we know ourselves, we may learn how to care for ourselves”

Socrates

I’ve been thinking about a meditation I did this morning led by Jay Shetty. A former monk and a well known life coach, he was named in the Forbes 30 under 30. Impressive, however I wasn’t looking for him, specifically. I was browsing through meditations on the app, Calm and stumbled across him. Often that’s how things work for me. I have been nudged toward beginning to meditate, again, by several recent encounters, including a post by my friend, Barb , A Scared Space. That led me to Jay Shetty’s meditation, Sense of Self.

The premise for the meditation is to look at the way we see ourselves. Many of us when asked, would describe who we are in terms of our job, relationships or achievements. I relate to that, however that’s not who we are. If our identity is tied to things that can change, when we lose our job or are no longer in a relationship, for example, we lose sight of ourselves. Who we really are is about what’s on the inside, not the outside.

Introspection is not everyone’s cup of tea, I get that. If you can get past the cynicism, you might gain a better understanding of your true self. Hidden beneath all the debris of what we are told we should be is a glimmering light of who we are. What are your likes, dislikes, dreams, ambitions? Self-awareness can be an important skill in leading a happier, fulfilled life.