By Donna Dunning

When the caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland meets Alice he inquires, “Who are you?” – a question that seems simple yet infinitely complex. This question reminds us to take time to reflect about who we are and what we want from our daily lives.

There are lots of discussions about how people differ and what makes people happy.  It is generally accepted that people have common basic needs, such as the need for food, shelter, and safety. We also have psychological needs such as being connected to others. However, many theorists believe that as well as having basic needs, people are born with differences in how they approach the world and what they see as valuable. These differences, combined with your life history and circumstances make what is important to you a unique response.

So, who are you?

Thinking about who you are, how you approach life, and the kind of activities you enjoy can be a helpful exercise. When you take time to reflect on what is important to you, it becomes easier to find your career and life path. Here are a few questions to think about to get you started:

How do you like to spend your time?

What activities do you like doing?

What skills do you like using?

What are you doing when the time seems to fly by?

What have you done that has given you a sense of accomplishment?

What interpersonal interactions are most enjoyable for you?

What energizes and interests you?

What kinds of work do you like and dislike?

How do others describe you?

What feedback have you received from others?

By reflecting on these questions you can start to decide what an ideal life/work situation looks like for you.

I have found that my ideal life/work is creative, and flexible. It is important for me to share ideas with others and to encourage people to learn about themselves and others (If they want to of course!). My personality type preferences are ENFP and knowing this has helped me figure out who I am and what I enjoy doing. I have also learned that in my ideal life/work I want to link to nature.

As I write this I am looking out the window at the trees and smelling the fresh air. Later today I plan to go for a walk at a nature sanctuary close to where I live. Hopefully I will see my friend, the blue heron. She cares nothing about me and doesn’t have to think about her life/work. Somehow that makes me feel happy. My husband took the photo above of her yesterday (I’m calling it a her because she’s a heron).