If you want to make significant personal change, getting to know yourself is the first step.

And I mean really getting to know yourself—quirks and all. This is a crucial part of healing and venturing into becoming better versions of ourselves.

We can never replace unhealthy habits without knowing why we do them. We can't let go of limiting beliefs that we are not aware of. And we will never realize our self-worth and learn how to be compassionate with ourselves if we’re not aware of our strengths, eccentricities, and tendencies.

Wondering why you tend to procrastinate on some tasks while follow through on the others? Maybe the answer lies in your tendency. Feeling stuck and unsure how to complete a creative project? Perhaps you’re not acknowledging your creative type when choosing who to collaborate with or discovering what environment you can thrive in. Desperate to get better sleep? It would help to get to know your chronotype (I’m a bear), as well as your energy peaks and dips throughout the day.

Progress in our personal growth journey starts not only with visualizing where we want to be, but also in acknowledging where we are coming from—and knowing who we are.

PS: But of course, too much self-analysis can be addictive, paralyzing, and unproductive. That’s a topic for another atomic essay.