Know yourself and to yourself be true are at the heart of maturity and happiness. They are essential for successful self-advocates. When I look back upon my life, I see I was happiest when I practiced self-knowledge. I knew my history not what others told me what it was. I knew my want, needs, hopes, dreams, and goals, not what others told me what they should be. Self-knowledge doesn’t prevent me from listening to others. At my first PCP meeting, my friends went around a circle telling me what my strengths were. This was humbling for me. I don’t think in terms of my having strengths, but my friends came up with a very long lists of strengths and I was humbled.
I normally think of how I must adapt to accommodate my disabilities. This was a game changer for me. I also listened to people who knew me well and had my best interests are heart, but I wasn’t ready to hear what they had to say–end ILS, use my plan to pay for Uber, or start a blog. I had to come to the point of accepting that advice. I don’t think that I am stubborn, but it took time for me to come to that point. Having reached that point, I feel I am more Self-Aware, free of all the negative baggage that has weighed me down so much of my life. How about you? Do you know yourself?