By Alison Greiner, Life Coach

If a stranger asked you who you are, how would you answer? Would you tell them what you do for a living? Where you are from? What religion you practice?

Do we really know who we are, what we want to be and what we enjoy doing? Before committing to something new like a class, a gym membership, a new car or the latest soup diet, how often do you stop to ask if this is something you really want? Before you join the social committee because everyone else is, search within yourself and ask why you want to do this. Committing to something without an honest desire to be involved will only leave you disinterested and likely to quit. Honestly being committed to something will increase your self-discipline and your self-esteem and motivate you to conquer all you desire.

The body and the soul
Often, we identify most with the person we see in the mirror: in shape or out of shape, short or tall, young or middle-aged. However, defining who we are based on external observations can lead to false identity. Many young girls relate with what they see on television and in the movies, defining themselves as “hip-hop” or “preppy”. When your appearance becomes who you are, you leave your identity in the hands of the latest trend. We are far more than a reflection in a mirror. Getting to know the real you and not relying on the media to tell you how to dress and behave will build a solid foundation that can stand up through all storms.

We are all familiar with the soul. We may not know exactly what it is, but each of us has our own idea. If the body remains after death and the soul departs, why do we focus so much on the body while living? We should nourish and care for our souls, for that is truly who we are. As human beings, our most important task in life is to know ourselves; to pull forces internally rather than externally. When you rise above physical consciousness, you find the controlling forces within you and live your purpose and passion in life.

Get to know yourself
Spending time alone is probably the most important activity to tap into your inner powers. Use some of the activities below to get to know yourself.

Meditate: Listen to meditation CDs and as you do, concentrate in silence on how you feel and what you are thinking. Meditating for 15 to 30 minutes a day is a great way to get to know yourself.

Become one with nature: When we connect with the trees, the waves and the flowers we begin to see the true beauty of nature. It grows and lives in harmony with little effort. Humans are a part of nature; we should progress in our lives the same way a beautiful flower blossoms.

Journaling: Keeping a journal of experiences and feelings is a great way to express your thoughts and emotions. Reading back on your entries weeks, months or even years later allows you to view your experiences as an outsider. When we always experience life in the moment, we get caught up. Journaling is almost like pushing the pause button, stepping outside of the frame and looking in as the situation occurs. It allows you to analyze how you feel, react and think, ultimately learning how you behave and who you really are.

Change the way you look at others: We identify so much with things outside of ourselves that we forget to look at one another as inner beings. Look past the complexion, attire and social status and focus on who people really are. Look into their eyes, feel their presence and connect with their soul.

Yoga: A great form of meditation and exercise is yoga. Add yoga to your exercise regime and get in shape while learning more about yourself.

“Being honest frees us to be real.” – Anonymous
Getting to know who we really are allows us to be honest with ourselves. It allows us to make decisions based on what we really want out of life, who we want to be and what we want to do. Traits you have when you practice honesty with yourself:

• Integrity—you do the right thing
• Trustworthiness—you can be counted on to do what you say
• Fairness and honor—you won't take things you don't deserve like awards, praise, money, credit for ideas, etc.
• Truth—you mean what you say and don't say anything you don't mean
• Sincerity—you won't exaggerate or pretend to be someone you're not

A question to ask yourself
What do you do when no one is looking? Who are you when you are alone? Are you one person in public and a completely different person when no one is watching? Be one with the truth and watch how quickly you'll find your purpose.