You don’t know who you really are until you use your true power

The other me

Who are you as a person when faced with challenges or insurmountable difficulties? Do you know this person? If so, what did you learn about yourself? Sadly, few people discover their true selves until they are faced with extreme difficulties and pain. When we venture into the dark; we come across this other me, or what I call the True Self.

I speak from experience because I have come across this other me throughout my life. It happened when I was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness in the late 1990s. The experience, which I wrote about in my first book, pushed me to the limit. My coping mechanisms, the foundations of my being, no longer supported me. Therefore, when our entire existence collapses in our darkest hour, we must transcend the known self and discover the True Self.

Here’s a thought: We do not know the depth of our inner strength until we are called to use it in difficult situations. It is when we are challenged beyond our comfort zone; we discover who we really are. In difficult circumstances, we are forced to delve into ourselves and discover the resilience of our spiritual selves. Difficulties reveal our spirit of resilience. If it weren’t for the challenges, life would be quiet and perhaps monotonous. I am not suggesting that we use difficulties to entertain ourselves, but to help us discover our higher selves. We learn a lot about ourselves when we are challenged and why we should not resist but rather lean on them as best we can.

Life is about seasons and transitions

To expand this idea further: our true power is not noticeable under normal circumstances. It is only apparent when we are pushed and brought to our breaking point. Therefore, we must venture into the abyss of our deepest selves to discover our pain threshold. This is not an exercise to extend our pain level, but to learn to connect with our other me. The wisdom and strength that we possess are beyond the mind and the physical body and that is why I believe that this is the nature of our soul.

What do you think about this? Have you experienced this other me through tragedy or misfortune? If so, what did you learn about yourself? For example, when I underwent treatment for a life-threatening illness, I discovered aspects of myself that I never knew existed. It revealed my inner spirit and connected me to my soul. Since then, I have been on a journey of awakening. This aspect of ourselves may not be obvious and we may only catch a glimpse of it during difficult times. That is why difficulties reveal our genuine spirit, because it puts us on the path to find our Greater Self.

I have met countless people over the years who have experienced tragic circumstances, such as car accidents or the loss of loved ones due to a tragedy. Each of them spoke of encountering this other me and connect with the nature of your soul. Our perception of the world and of ourselves changes because we must build a new model of reality. It redirects us towards other worldly dimensions. We awaken inner powers such as intuition, perception and other senses inexplicable to others.

To put it another way, your true power lies in your belief in overcoming problems. For example, if you believe that you are unable to overcome difficulties, you will resist them and feel helpless. You may withdraw into despair because you fear what may happen. But life is about duality and contrast; inhabiting the dark, weathering storms and enjoying good times. Life is about seasons and transitions.. These are internal transformations, leading to external changes. Life is cyclical, where tough times recede to make way for new beginnings. Are you satisfied with these ideas so far? I hope you get the feeling that you do not discover the real “You” when life is fluid, but when you are pushed out of your comfort zone.

Take the journey to yourself

So I ask you: what are you choosing to believe about yourself? What experiences have shaped those beliefs? Are you willing to see yourself differently? Only you will know the answers to these questions when you set out on the journey to yourself. That is why I train my clients to undertake self-inquiry, to discover their higher self. Exercise is not a spiritual practice that involves lighting candles, singing ohms, or sitting in meditation. It’s more practical. It involves sitting with yourself every day, first thing in the morning or late at night, and writing down whatever comes to mind in a journal. It’s about putting your inner thoughts on paper and discovering key ideas about yourself. How do you respond in difficult times? What lessons keep popping up in your life? What are your weaknesses and how do you respond to them? What do you shy away from and why? This is what self-inquiry aims to awaken in us; our true nature as spiritual beings.

With this in mind, I invite you to read the article one more time and answer the questions I asked you in your journal. They are intended to help you undertake the practice of self-inquiry. I realize that it may seem like a chore, especially if you don’t keep a journal, but it will help you discover yourself on a deeper level. We learn about ourselves through self-inquiry and through our relationships with others. If we repeat the same lessons, we are not growing, but we remain stuck in a cycle of helplessness. You will transcend your difficulties when you can see your challenges from the soul level. After all, you don’t know who they really are until they call you to use your true power. The source of this power can only be found by connecting with our higher selves in times of difficulty.