There’s a difference between knowing about yourself and knowing yourself. One is a list. The other is practice.
STILLNESS
WHAT THIS MEANS
You can describe yourself accurately and still be surprised by what you do under pressure. A list is what you have concluded; knowing yourself is what you notice while it is happening, which only comes from paying attention again and again. The second kind changes as you change, and it is the kind that helps in a hard moment.
Trade one conclusion for an observation this week. Rather than saying you are impatient, watch the next three times impatience shows up and note what came just before it. Write a sentence about each. It takes no extra hours, only attention during hours you were spending anyway.
A QUESTION TO SIT WITH
Do you know things about yourself you never actually practice?
MORE IN SOLITUDE & SELF-KNOWLEDGE
- Alone at night you’ll hear the real reason you did something. It’s usually not the one you told everyone.
- Save the odd little thoughts you have on solo walks in a notes app. Read them in a year and meet an earlier you.
- Try defending your favorite opinion without quoting anyone. If you can’t, it might not be yours yet.
Free, with nothing to buy inside it.