When was the last time you just sat down and really took a look at yourself? Some might say it's a waste of precious time, but it may unearth some mind-blowing characteristics about yourself that you never knew!
Getting to know yourself is a great way to prepare for the future. If you do not know what you stand for, how will you know what to do when your values or the things you hold firm to in life are tested? As we age, we're supposed to mature mentally as well as physically. How can this be possible if we don't realize our current mistakes and fix them in order to develop? How will you be able to gain the strength and realize that you need to do something about a wrong situation when you do not know what you are comfortable or okay with in the first place?
While pondering this topic, we decided to come up with an interview broken down into several sections. In the first section, some general questions about getting to know and respect yourself were asked. In the middle section, some more personal, in depth questions were to be answered. In the last section, some reflection questions were asked to see how the interviewees felt about building a healthier relationship with themselves in 2012. We encourage you all to answer the following questions for yourself while reading.
Bibi4evr and Kittieme: On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being very well, how well do you think you know yourself?
Cherriies: My scale is 8, Because there's still some things I'm trying to figure out (coming out of the closet).
UTBrandon: I think I know myself pretty well, so about a 7.
TheCOALT: I think I am a 5. I am not sure, I sometimes feel like I am a girl who would never do anything bad and I feel like I am someone who would never break the rules. On the other hand I want to do those things. I debate with myself sometimes on this, too.
Bibi4evr and Kittieme: Have you come across any recent discoveries about yourself? If so, what?
Cherries: Of course, any discoveries a normal girl would get.
UTBrandon: I have discovered that I am pretty strong at tough times.
TheCOALT: No, but I wish I have so I could find the real me throughout everything that's been going on.
Bibi4evr and Kittieme: Have you ever been in a situation where you wish you would have known more about yourself in order to have been prepared for what happened?
Cherriies: Yes, My mom asked me a lot of personal questions; I had no idea the answer to any of them. The next day my mom locked me in a room and told me to think about the questions, and I could not have gone out at all! I made up the answers to most of them, but eventually, I got out of my room, that only had a bed.
TheCOALT: Yes, sometimes people use stuff that I don't realize about myself against me.
Bibi4evr and Kittieme: Do you think that getting to know yourself well is important?
Cherriies: Of course it's important, I mean, If you don't then you really have no reason to call yourself . . . You . . .
UTBrandon: I think it is important because it helps you with goals and achievements.
TheCOALT: Yes, because if you know yourself you'll be able to go through life easier, handle situations easier, and make education even easier.
While you may or may not already know this, you are heavily influenced by those you hang around with often. This is important because they can affect you in both positive and negative ways. In a way, they end up shaping the way you are now. Also, the morals and guidelines you select for yourself now will impact what decisions you end up making in the future. The better you get to know yourself now, the easier it will be for you to realize what to do in tough situations. When you ask yourself personal questions, you can discover what means a lot to you, and the things and people that will help you succeed in life.
Bibi4evr and Kittieme: Is there anything you consider being worth dying for?
Cherriies: Yes, My family. I know they would die for me, especially my mother, she knows me the most. We always go laughing about our day.
UTBrandon: So I can be reunited with my awesome grandad again.
TheCOALT: My friends, family, and my beliefs.
Bibi4evr and Kittieme: Do you feel like you give yourself the respect you deserve?
Cherriies: To be honest, yes, which really isn't a lot. I only respect the people that are really important to me. So really isn't a lot.
UTBrandon: I don't deserve respect - others do!
TheCOALT: Sometimes I get mad at myself for doing the wrong thing and I tell myself if I don't do the right thing and fix it I don't get or get to do something. So, no. I hope to fix this throughout the year, and treat myself better. Everyone makes mistakes.
Bibi4evr and Kittieme: What or who most influences your life and has made you the person you are today?
Cherriies: My sister, mom, and dad. My sister, who told me to stop believing in fantasies. My mom, taught that if you really care about someone you would give ANYTHING no matter how much or what. My dad taught me to SAVE! A.K.A Be cheap.
UTBrandon: My parents, they have taught me what's right and wrong. And my music teacher who made me teach myself how to play guitar and pushed me to sing.
TheCOALT: My teachers, and friends. Definitely my friends the most.
Bibi4evr and Kittieme: What do you think your best quality is?
Cherriies: My best quality? I really don't want to sound shallow, but I think it's how I'm not afraid to speak my mind. I would talk back to my parents, teachers, and even break a friendship. So technically being honest . . . in a mean way.
UTBrandon: My music.
TheCOALT: I personally do not believe I have any best quality. But if I really had to choose I would say my singing voice.
Bibi4evr and Kittieme: What is most important to you in life?
Cherriies: Everything in my life, without it, I would be nothing.
UTBrandon: The most important thing in my life is my family.
TheCOALT: My friends, we are really close. Without them I don't know how'd I survive!
Depending on your answers to the previously stated questions, you may or may not feel as if you know yourself well. Whether you do or not, you may not completely like who you are. It is completely normal to resent or dislike things about yourself, but remember that you are a special, unique person. While other people may have the same features or traits as you, no one is composed exactly like you, and you have the ability to become whoever you want in life. It is never too late to change things about yourself or add new things into your life you would enjoy.
Bibi4evr and Kittieme: Is there anything about yourself you would like to change?
Cherriies: Nothing, I love myself the way I am. You were made how you are for a reason, the thing you least like about yourself is like, you're secret weapon. (Ohh, That sounds so lame.)
UTBrandon: I'd like to say my horse teeth.
TheCOALT: I would love to change a lot about myself. I would change my weight, face, and my hair.
Bibi4evr and Kittieme: Is there a talent or skill you would like to gain in the year 2012? What is it and why?
Cherriies: A talent, ahh, I would like to be better at basketball. I'm good but not the best.
TheCOALT: I recently started cheerleading; I have no experience what-so-ever. I couldn't even do a cartwheel when I first started. My goal is to be able to be able to do the average stuff a cheerleader to do.
Bibi4evr and Kittieme: How can you improve yourself in the next year?
UTBrandon: I can be a kinder person.
TheCOALT: I could treat myself better, and be more true to myself. That's the thing I need to work on the most.
Throughout this year, we encourage you all to think hard about who you are, and love the great traits and features you have. We also hope that you will take what you have thought about during this article and pertain it to your life now, and not wait until later to get to know yourself. No one can force you to be anyone you don't want to be, and no one can take away the worth you have. Set aside the bad things in your life and put them where they belong - in the past. Each day is a fresh, new page, and as long as you know deep down who you are and what you stand for, you will be able to make decisions that will leave you happiest, and be able to write the words to a story you won't regret living.
Authors' Notes:
1. Thank you so much to the people who answered our questions. It means a lot to us you guys were willing to share your answers, and give this article a more personal touch.
2. We tried to get an even amount of boys and girls to take this interview, but things got confusing when some of the interviewees didn't respond, we had to get last minute people to answer the questions, then the older ones finally responded a day late, and we had to organize everything multiple times. We're sorry that the genders have an uneven ratio, though. No hard feelings!
