Me as Me

There are moments in life when you take a step back and look at yourself; not through the eyes of judgment, but as an outsider, observing your actions, decisions, and experiences with a sense of curiosity and compassion. This act of self-reflection can be one of the most profound ways to initiate personal growth. My journey from past to present has been filled with challenges, triumphs, mistakes, and lessons, all of which have shaped who I am today. However, it wasn’t until I learned to view myself from a third-person perspective that I began to correct my course and align myself with the future I desired.

This blog is a reflection on that journey, exploring how looking at ourselves as a third person can help correct past mistakes, foster personal growth, and guide us toward a future of fulfillment. I hope that by sharing my story, I can inspire others to embark on their own journeys of transformation.

The Past: Learning from the Person I Was

Looking back on my past, there are moments of pride but also times of regret. As a third person, I can see the version of me that was impulsive, afraid, and often made decisions based on fear of failure or desire for approval. I was driven by external validation, constantly seeking to please others while suppressing my own true desires. Mistakes were made—some big, some small—but at the time, they felt like mountains I could never overcome.

From this third-person perspective, I now understand that the person I was back then was doing the best they could with the tools they had. I didn’t have the self-awareness I have today, and I certainly didn’t know how to course-correct when things went wrong. There were times when I felt stuck, repeating the same mistakes because I didn’t know how to break free from my own patterns.

But hindsight, as they say, is 20/20. Viewing my past self with empathy allows me to see that those mistakes were not failures—they were lessons. Each wrong turn, every poor decision, helped me grow, pushing me toward the realization that change was not only possible but necessary.

The Present: Who I Am Now

Fast forward to today, and I find myself standing in a place of greater clarity. I’m not the same person I was years ago, though I carry the lessons of that person with me. Today, I am more intentional with my actions, more aware of my motivations, and more committed to being authentic to myself. This shift did not happen overnight—it was the result of continuous self-reflection, self-forgiveness, and the willingness to evolve.

When I began to look at myself from the outside, I noticed patterns in my behavior that were holding me back. I had to confront the fact that my fears, insecurities, and need for control were preventing me from living the life I wanted. It wasn’t an easy realization, but it was a necessary one. The hardest part of change is accepting that you are responsible for your own growth. No one else can do it for you.

As I continue to observe myself as an outsider, I see a person who is still evolving. I am far from perfect, but I no longer strive for perfection. Instead, I focus on progress. I have learned to celebrate small victories, embrace challenges, and most importantly, forgive myself when I fall short. Viewing myself as a third person allows me to be kinder to myself. It’s easy to be critical when you’re inside your own head, but when you step outside and view yourself with the same compassion you would offer a friend, it becomes easier to accept your imperfections.

The Future: The Person I Am Becoming

Looking toward the future, I feel a sense of excitement and possibility. I have come to realize that the future is not something that happens to us—it is something we create. The choices I make today will shape the person I become tomorrow. By continuing to view myself from a third-person perspective, I can ensure that I stay on track, course-correcting when necessary and learning from the inevitable mistakes I will make along the way.

In the future, I see a version of myself who is more confident, more resilient, and more at peace with who they are. This person is not defined by their mistakes but by their ability to learn from them. They are not held back by fear but propelled forward by a sense of purpose. This future self is the culmination of years of growth, reflection, and transformation.

I know that the journey is far from over. There will be more challenges, more opportunities for growth, and more moments of self-doubt. But by continuing to view myself from the outside, I can approach these moments with a sense of curiosity rather than fear. I can ask myself, "What can I learn from this? How can I grow from this experience?" And in doing so, I can keep moving forward, one step at a time.

My Thoughts: The Power of Self-Reflection

If there’s one thing I’ve learned throughout this process, it’s the power of self-reflection. It’s not easy to look at yourself honestly, to confront your flaws and mistakes head-on. But it is one of the most valuable things you can do for your personal growth. When you view yourself from a third-person perspective, you gain a new level of objectivity. You can see patterns in your behavior that you might not notice otherwise, and you can begin to take steps to correct them.

This type of self-reflection requires vulnerability. You have to be willing to admit that you’re not perfect, that you’ve made mistakes, and that you have room to grow. But it’s in this vulnerability that true transformation happens. The more you practice self-reflection, the more self-aware you become. And the more self-aware you are, the better equipped you are to make choices that align with your values and goals.

It’s also important to remember that transformation is not a destination; it’s a continuous process. You don’t wake up one day and suddenly have everything figured out. There will always be more to learn, more ways to grow. But by approaching your life with curiosity and compassion, you can continue to evolve and become the best version of yourself.

In reflecting on my past, present, and future, I see a journey of transformation that is far from complete. But that’s the beauty of life; it’s always evolving, and so are we. By looking at ourselves from a third-person perspective, we gain the ability to learn from our mistakes, correct our course, and create a future that aligns with who we truly are. So, here’s to the journey—one filled with lessons, growth, and the ongoing process of becoming.