#self-discovery

#self-discovery

Distractions disguise themselves, taking us further away from shore (goals), taking us away from a grounded foundation in which to build something of value in our lives.

"I hope I can walk away feeling I've actually achieved something here, that I've really pushed myself to the edge of my boundaries and put myself in a position which is beyond something I could have even imagined a year ago," said Pineapple Dance Studios star Spence.

There's something about a good joke or a meme...where it sticks in our minds for years and we can draw from it for a certain feeling.

Becoming a father at 38 catalyzed Simon Lee’s passion for art, transforming him from a business-oriented mindset to embracing a professional art career.

Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak. After a breakup, a woman reflects on her lost sense of self through her clothing choices.

Join Me chronicles the journey of starting a positivity cult through simple acts of kindness initiated by Danny Wallace, which became a sense of community for many.

The journey of self-determination is essential, as characters must learn to be true to themselves rather than conforming to expectations of who they think they should be.

Madison McFerrin's new album, 'Scorpio,' represents her journey of finding her own voice, especially after her engagement to a longtime partner fell apart.

That night, surrounded by seventh-grade boys, I learned to navigate my feelings in an environment where masculinity was displayed so brazenly, yet so innocently.

Ben moves in with their estranged older sister and her husband after being thrown out of their parents' home for coming out as non-binary. As Ben navigates young adulthood, they find support from an eccentric art teacher and a kind-hearted student.

"If [music] had anything but piano and organ, like if it had electric guitar or drums, it was considered Satanic or bad," he says, highlighting the extremism of his parents' beliefs. "We weren't allowed to go to movie theaters, we weren't allowed to watch movies, we didn't have TV. All the girls in our house had to wear skirts ... even to bed, I had to wear skirts."

"The true source of my pain—the visceral agony of the weeks that followed—was not about him at all. It was about what his rejection confirmed for me. I'm not enough."

Travelling solo is a pleasure, a tonic, and occasionally a character-building experience. It teaches independence and offers a personal connection to surroundings.

A well-lived life isn't always perfectly navigated; many find themselves rudderless after joyful milestones or unwanted changes, prompting the search for guidance in books and friends.

The Alters combines base building and sim management in a sci-fi narrative about self-discovery, following Jan as he navigates life and survival on an alien planet.

Chris' story made me reflect on my own life. I realized that I shared many traits with him that I had never connected to autism.

I feel like a shell, or sometimes like a willow tree. I feel blown around by the winds of life.

Not so, in my experience.

I compared myself to my best friend, who I felt was doing life milestones the "right" way.

After years of shaving my pubic hair, I was shocked when I discovered one day that it just disappeared entirely. Nothing could prepare me for that.

I'm a real people pleaser-I often prioritize the needs of others over my own and carry a constant concern for their well-being. While that can be a beautiful human superpower, my fixation on pleasing everyone sometimes leads me away from my true self.

"To be honest with you, I didn't have confidence that I could do comedy well... I've done so many years of very serious roles that I was actually petrified, because comedy is really hard. You can't be saved."

We all face real constraints, but most of us also allow ourselves to be boxed in by imaginary ones. You might feel like invisible hands are holding you back.

Her conversations with Small, she said, changed her perspective on love, romance and friendships. He became the main character in Just Friends, the grand-prize winner of this year's NPR College Podcast Challenge.