Moving Through Change: Creating a Road Map Back to Self

Article Written by Denver Therapist, Jessica Wright

Going through a change can be disorienting and tough.

Whether it is a break up, a move, change of career, or shift in relationships, we sometimes lose touch with ourselves along the way and it can greatly impact our mental health.

Often times the chaos that is sometimes found in change can leave us feeling disconnected from our values, interests, things we enjoy doing, and ultimately our self.

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This disconnection can lead to feelings of depression, anxiety, and overall internal conflict.

Have you ever experienced a change like this and thought to yourself “Who am I and what do I really want?”

These are questions that come up when there is a disconnection between what we are putting out into the world and what we feel internally.

This can sometimes lead us to feeling stuck.

Understanding the concept of self and self-discovery

Our self-concept is comprised of our beliefs and values.

It is ultimately our self-image and who we are on a mental, physical, and spiritual level; it is our internal spark.

It is about being in tune with our wants, needs, hobbies, interests, strengths, and weaknesses.

This is something we learn about as we have life experiences.

When we know our self and feel grounded in this concept, we are better equipped to make decisions and communicate our feelings and needs.

It can often times be an essential part of overall growth and deep understanding of how we see ourselves in the world.

Techniques for rediscovering your true self

Since this is a somewhat abstract concept, you might be asking yourself, “so how do I connect with my self?”

Identify your values

Think about the things that are important and meaningful in your life.

How do you want to show up? How do other people show up for you?

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Begin to consider your experiences and times when you have valued different parts of it in different ways.

List out the things that are important to you. Begin to think of some examples of times when you have lived theses values.

For instance, if you notice connection is important to you, reflect on times you have connected with friends, family, or your community.

What do you notice? How do you feel when you’re living this value?

Chances are when you’re living in connection with things that are meaningful to you, you might begin to notice and improvement in your mood and distance from discomfort.

Connect with Hobbies and Interests

Recall the things you enjoyed doing before this change appeared in your life.

If you struggle with identifying hobbies and interests, sometimes asking yourself what you enjoyed doing as a child can be a way to identify hobbies to try out.

Whether that is playing tennis, painting, or connecting with nature by hiking or reading a book outside, begin to identify the activities that light your spark and bring you joy.

Visualize your ideal self

Pretend you were meeting yourself for the first time. What do you notice?

What questions would you ask yourself?

What would your answers be?

What would that version of you do differently than what you’re already doing?

We can draw information from the practice of visualization and seeing ourselves in different situations.

Taking a new perspective has the ability to support us with identifying triggers for uncomfortable feelings like anxiety or depression.

When we know what our triggers are, we are better equipped to manage those more difficult moments.

Visualizing your ideal self can also be a practice in goal setting.

If you know how you would like to feel in a situation you are in a better position to align your actions with thoughts, ultimately leading to strengthening your concept of self.

Maintain your connection with your true self in everyday life

With the busyness of daily life, it can be hard to find time just for you.

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Be intentional with carving out moments where you are with yourself doing the things you want to be doing.

Whether that is 10 minutes a day or an entire day at a time. Begin to get comfortable with YOU time.

When outside distractions are removed, it often leaves space to tap into how we’re feeling and what we might be needing.

Its an opportunity for you to make values based decisions. Challenge yourself to spend a day solo, where you make every decision about how the day goes.

Embracing the journey of self-discovery and living authentically

The path to reconnecting with ourselves can be an exciting yet also scary one.

It is often said we are the experts of ourselves. It is completely natural to sometimes lose connection with that spark or question things.

When you stay connected to your self, embrace self-discovery, and set forth intent to live authentically, you naturally will notice a shift in mental wellness.

Just remember, you already have everything within you to create this map and continue with your journey.

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Denver Therapist, Jessica Wright

Jessica is a mindfulness-based, neuroscience lover, and compassionate, curious therapist who loves helping people understand their why.

Jessica provides trauma-informed therapy helping adults navigate their transitions in life with whatever comes up in the process.

Jessica is an EMDR trained therapist and works with people through trauma, anxiety, depression, disordered eating, and life transitions.

Jessica is clinically savvy and loves providing education to clients on the benefits of gratitude, trying new things, and the ways we can work with our brains to create new neuro pathways.