Beat anxiety, depression and stress – by reclaiming your identity!

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Parenting Skills

Published on Thursday, 20 February 2014 19:10

Last Updated on 13 February 2014

Marie Houlden

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Who am I? Three small words, but once uttered become a very big statement.

We often feel like we don’t know who we are anymore and the fear inside can be completely overwhelming. You can start to believe that no one is listening to you or understands you, when in reality you stopped listening to yourself a long time ago and now you feel lost and afraid that life will always be this way. By taking small steps to reclaim your identity, you will have the confidence once again to move successfully through life, knowing that you and others are embracing the authentic and genuine you!

Still unsure if this relates to you? Read the following statements and see if you can spot your own fears or struggles:

• You fear who you have become
• You fear you are no longer interesting
• You fear you are no longer fun
• You fear you are no longer sexy and attractive
• You struggle to know what you like
• You struggle to know what you want to do
• You struggle to answer the question ‘ what do you want from life’

Without a strong sense of identity we can experience challenges in so many areas of our life  – our relationships, our work and our health, to name just a few. It can be a confusing and exhausting time. We know we feel anxious, irritated, sad and sometimes depressed, but we don’t know why. It can seem to others that we are living the ideal life and then we feel guilty that we have all these emotions when we appear to have so much.

Rest assured you are not alone.  Most people will have a period in their life where they question their sense of identity. Sometimes it is brought on by life changing events such as; marriage, having children, separating or divorce, loss of a loved one, being made redundant or leaving your job and sometimes, it just creeps up on you!

If you think this is something you are struggling with, use the following questions to get to know yourself better. Give yourself at least 30 minutes of uninterrupted time…

1. What am I most passionate about – list 3-5 things?
2. What are my 3-5 top strengths? If you are unsure ask your friends and family
3. When do you feel most alive – list 3-5 things?
4. When do you feel truly happy – list 3-5 things?
5. As a child, when did you lose all sense of time? What were you doing and why did you enjoy it?
6. What does your ideal life look like?

Answering these questions will help you to be clear on where you currently are in life and where you need to start making some changes. We all deserve a life filled with love, laughter, fun, excitement and fulfillment. Value yourself enough to start making changes today!