Who am I?

                      Story Time: Who am I? 

There were a million different ways that I could write this Story Time. But as you have been noticing lately my creative juices are flowing all over this blog.  I am posting regularly and keeping in touch with all of you guys. Phew, that self-love is starting to pay off in so many ways. A better rested, healthier, and more confident version of me has made me so much more productive. I am not saying that I am never productive, I have just gotten better at it. They do say that practice makes perfect. I have mastered delegating tasks and knowing when I need a break. I am not quite all the way there yet on my journey. But that is the beauty of self-love, we keep growing and learning. I've always known that I was quite the wise nose when I was a kid. It became obvious to me at an early age that I was a bit wiser than other kids. I also had different interests, I enjoyed reading thick history books that other kids my age wouldn't even touch. I would always learn from the books that I'd read and I have also learned a lot from the great people that I watched while growing up.  I also learned at a young age, that no one likes a wise nose. It's funny how much I always underestimated and judged. I even had teachers tell me that I couldn't borrow certain books because I wouldn't read them anyway. I always enjoyed proving them wrong whenever they would make me present the entire book in front of the classroom. They would always say that if I didn't get one question right, I wouldn't have the privilege to read those books.  Because I was placed in a box so much at a young age, I would always find it difficult to show the things that made me different to the outside world. Self-love has helped me cross over that hurdle. It's funny that the things that made me feel so out of place, have become the same skills that have gotten me so far in life. I have always been a dreamer, everyone who slightly knows me can tell you that. My dreams started at a young age, and if I could look back to that kid right now I'd tell her it's a good thing that you never believed any of those people that told you that dreams are unattainable and average or impossible for someone like you. How often have you not been judged for the way that you look? People like to make the mistake of meeting you for 5 seconds and thinking that they have an image of your entire life.  That is human nature, that is why I have come to learn that it doesn't matter what people think of me.  What does matter, is who I am! There are so many reasons why it is important to know who you are.

When you know who you are, you are aware of your own strengths and you don't need the validation of others. When you achieve that kind of freedom, you enter a different creative space. That's when you become more at ease with who you are and what you are doing. Being aware of what makes you the person you are instead of just a random number in a civil registry database helps you to be more aligned with your purpose. It becomes easier to create a piece of who you are in your work.  Now, that is what I like to call artwork! We are each a painting on a canvas, and discovering the depths of your colors helps make your life more colorful. Especially when you have already figured out the colors of your palette.  Those represent the things, that make you happy. The more things we do that make us happy, the better our chances of living happy meaningful lives where we get to do the things that we enjoy with the people that we love .

When you know what you are capable of, it not only becomes a part of your identity. But it also helps you confront challenges in life. It makes it easier to choose a course that is aligned with your passion. In these modern times, it has been proven that anything is possible if you are passionate about the things that you do in your life. Take for example all the amazing guests that we have had on Story Time.  It becomes easier to believe in yourself when you know what fabric you are made of. But I am assuming that you landed on this page because you wanted to know who you are! I can help you with that, I can help you discover so many things about yourself if you decide to join me on this little Story Time journey.  Don't forget to jump onto the Story Time U.F.O. to stay updated on my new posts. There are certain questions that you can ask yourself, to find out more about who you are. I think that oftentimes, people have problems to self-reflect. When you aren't capable of self-reflecting you will never be aware of your own mistakes and pain. Doing that is also a form of self-sabotage because when you do that you start to close the door for healing. You can't fix the leak if you aren't aware that there is one! It's very important to be aware of not only your physical surrounding but also the emotional and mental ones.  I am going to share with you some questions that you can ask yourself, to find out more about who you are. You can write the answers to these questions in your own personal self-love diaries.  Here are 5 questions that you can ask yourself to find out more about your own identity. They help you find out who you are on the inside, without the distractions of the outside world:

                              1. What makes me happy?

It may seem like a simple question but in my experience, I have noticed that it's the simple questions that people dare not ask themself. Some people don't know how to muster the courage and the strength to live for themself. In some cases, it's even so extreme that people spend their entire life living up to the expectation of others and doing things to satisfy the people around them. They don't know how to choose for their own happiness, and therefore they aren't aware of the things that make them happy.  When you depend on the validation of others, you will live in fear to shine your authentic light. You place yourself in a box, and you live as the image that others want you to be.  Self-love helps to break away from restrictions that prevent us from doing the things that make us happy. Humanity always seems to forget, that the things that make you happy are the same things that feed your soul.  I knew that I liked to write and that writing made me happy in a way. A lot of people told me to kick the bucket when it comes to writing because they said in a small South American country, writing wouldn't get you anywhere. But I didn't listen, I kept doing it because I enjoyed creating masterpieces with my words. I practiced ever since I was a little girl. I am not saying that I am perfect, all I am saying is that I pursued something that I was passionate about because it made me happy. I kept doing it in different ways, and now my work is being read from different parts of the world. Not only through my blog, but also through the poems that I have written and created and many other things. You get the point, now what makes you happy? Write down things that fuel you with motivation, and that makes you feel alive when you do them! 

                  2. What are my strengths and weaknesses? 

So many people underestimate why it's important to know your weaknesses and strengths.  When you know what you are good at, you are aware of your craft. When you know what you are weak at, you know what kind of people you need to add to your team. As someone that dabbles a lot in leadership, I know how important it is to have the right combination of strengths and weaknesses in a strong team.  Even if you are not a team player and feel more like a lone wolf (  I seem to swing a bit on both sides of that specter)  when you know what you are weak at you can also pour hard work and dedication into it, to align with your goals. Noting down what your strength and weaknesses are will help you realize how valuable you actually are. Remember, it's a disaster waiting to happen if you don't invest time into your own mental, emotional, and physical health. Find your value within first, and it will translate itself into your abundance!

3. What experiences have impacted my behavior?

Now a lot of people might disagree with me on this one, but keep in mind that what I share with you guys is my unique perspective. Take it however you please, but I do believe that certain experiences impact our behavior. Sometimes negative experiences could cause you to be less trusting, or maybe a broken heart has left you to feel less confident about who you are. There are also positive experiences, that cause us to make positive decisions or that motivate us to chase our dreams.  You will always experience both in your life, so it is a given for me that the experiences that impact us, help us identify who you are. Everyone has to face trauma or pain, but how you react to it and deal with it helps you understand yourself better. You will come to discover what your needs are, and why you long to experience something different. Knowing why you act the way you do, is to know your character. It's a good thing that you are still here, that tells me that you are someone who wants to keep growing in life.  Honestly reflecting on your life with yourself can tell you so much about who you are if you are just willing to listen to yourself. I say it like that because I have noticed that some people are so used to listening to others, that they forget to listen to themself!  This exercise will also help you to listen to your inner voice.

                   4. What are the things that I enjoy doing?

Here at my blog Story Time, I like to talk about adventures.  But I also know that everyone likes different kinds of adventures. If we were all made to be exactly the same, the world would be very boring. We were meant to be as diverse as nature is and that is something that I do embrace.  What do you like to do? What kind of adventures does your heart enjoy? Write down these answers, because the things that you love tell their own story.   What you love to do, is a part of your identity. When you suppress that, it can become unhealthy! Having the freedom to be your authentic self, makes it become easier to discover who you are as you keep evolving!

      5. How do I give and receive love from those around me?

We have arrived at the last tip that I want to share with you guys for today. These tips will help you to discover who you are. I try to not make my stories too long for you guys. We are tracking and making progress one step at a time on this Story Time journey. Write down how you like to show your affection for others, and how you show appreciation. Also try to analyze why you do it, in the way that you do? How you give love, is a part of your personality and how you receive love is a reflection of the love you tolerate, you think you deserve, and the boundaries that you do and do not practice. Some people have a row of toxic relationships behind them, but be bold enough to ask yourself why do I chose the people that I do each time? What is it that I don't see or am ignoring? Where am I getting over my head and am I satisfied in life? If you aren't knowing what you want can help you to get there. But before you know what you really want, you have to take your mind off the distractions for a while and discover who you are. Or else you will also lose a huge part of your life serving the needs of others while not even listening to your own. Sometimes people don't even realize this early on, because if you aren't listening to your own voice you will lead your life seeking approval instead of creating an authentically fulfilling life.  I hope that this helps and I can't wait to see you again in the next edition of Story Time!