"Life as a journey; life as a quest; life as a purpose; life as... life? We have different ways of trying to make sense of what passing through time means-this doing-what-we-do within this box of years. For many of us, the answer is simple-it's about doing what we do, building a life, making the best decisions we can, which we may later regret or be proud of."
"But it's also too easy to operate on autopilot, for our lives to run us rather than us running our lives. Often, only when some trauma shakes us do we step back and look at the bigger landscape. But looking back is always an option and always valuable-to step back and reflect on our lives; to see our lives not just as something we push through, but also as something with its own flow that carries us to where we, perhaps, need to go."
Life commonly runs on autopilot until a jolt or deliberate reflection reveals larger patterns in decision-making. Recurring mistakes, repeated struggles, and persistent goals function as clues to underlying emotional needs and identity formation. Examining what one keeps striving for can uncover desires for recognition, appreciation, power, or authenticity. Identifying mistakes that repeat shows habits like procrastination, impulsivity, or people-pleasing that block becoming the intended person. Intentional reflection on these patterns empowers change, acknowledges growth, and orients attention toward future choices aligned with a truer self. Such self-awareness creates pathways to act with more agency and purpose.
Read at Psychology Today
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