Do you know who you are?

In fact, have you ever taken the time to think about that question? If you have, then you are on the path to becoming self-aware.

In the past few years of talking and studying highly successful people, I have come to the conclusion that they all share some common characteristics…

People who really know who they are have done the work to become self-aware. They understand their own motivations, feelings, and thoughts. Without it, we would be living in a state of constant confusion and chaos, and also understand how these things affect them and those around them. However, self-awareness takes time and effort. It is not something that can be learned overnight.

With that being said, here are the top ten characteristics of people who have taken the time to get to know themselves better than anyone else, and who have applied these characteristics to their daily lives.

Top 10 Characteristics Of People Who Know Who They Are

1. Adaptability

It may seem counterintuitive, but those who truly know themselves can also be highly adaptable. According to goodwin.edu, flexible individuals are more inclined to stretch themselves when situations alter.

People who think ahead and concentrate on how to improve while foreseeing roadblocks as stepping-stones are the ones who succeed, and you may never know when a new opportunity will arise. People that really understand themselves can take advantage of new chances and further enhance their transferable abilities by doing so.

2. Confidence

People who really know who they are tend to have a healthy amount of confidence in themselves. Lifehack.org describes confident people as knowing their place in life and not being frightened by the light in others. Those confident people who know who they are support and encourage others to do their best as well. They’re able to create and influence a community of people to strive for better.

3. Wisdom

Wisdom has been hard to define, but health.ucsd.edu has some expert opinions on the topic. Most agree that wisdom is a uniquely human form of cognitive and emotional development. It is a rare characteristic that can be learned and increases with age and experience.

Those who really know who they are, have accumulated wisdom over time and are always looking for ways to learn more. Wisdom is hard to come by if you are young and inexperienced so open yourself up to new experiences wherever possible.

4. Forgiveness

People who really know who they are can find forgiveness in their hearts for others and for themselves. According to viacharacter.org, forgiveness involves accepting the shortcomings, flaws, and imperfections of others.

Forgiving allows you to let go of all of the frustration, disappointment, and other painful feelings related to a person or incident. It is important to be able to forgive yourself and use your past mistakes as learning experiences instead of sources of regret or shame.

5. Acceptance

Everyone makes mistakes, even those who really know who they are. According to inipcenter.org, accepting things as they are requires giving up how we believe they should be. These people who really know who they are, have accepted their own faults and learned how to live with them in the best possible way.

They use their strengths and invest in improving their weaknesses but are accepting that they exist. They also know that there is no point trying to change others. They set healthy boundaries in their relationships and give others the space to be themselves. If these relationships don’t work out, then they were probably not meant to be.

6. Mindfulness

People who practice mindfulness are more aware and more present in their day to day lives. They are able to analyze their emotions and thoughts to form intentions about who they want to be and how they want to feel. Mindfulness and meditation can also help guide one’s thoughts to achieve specific goals and feelings.

There are plenty of apps and videos out there to help you start meditating and become more mindful in your own life. The American Psychological Association found that mindfulness can help people focus, improve memory, cause you to become less reactive, and reduce stress along with many other physical, mental, and emotional benefits.

7. Gratitude

Gratitude means genuinely conveying thanks for all that you have in life and expressing that thankfulness in words to others or in writing for yourself. A quote from American author Zig Ziglar states, “Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions.”

By focusing on what they already have, people who really know who they are can manifest further positivity and more to be grateful for. Letting people in your life know that you are grateful for them makes you feel better too.

8. Autonomy

The cambridgedictionary.org defines an autonomous person as one who is independent and has the power to make their own decisions. They act in their own interests but also only do so if it aligns with their personal values. The autonomous are not just self-centered people who will do anything to further their own agenda. They consciously make decisions to benefit themselves but not at a cost or against their better judgement.

9. Integrity

Those who genuinely know who they are, have integrity, and understand what true values mean to them in life. They follow those principles and seek to maintain as much control over their behaviors as possible.

Lifehack.org states that problems arise when we see ourselves one way but behave in ways that are at odds with that vision. People with integrity have strong morals and values that become a base of their personality and stick with them throughout life.

10. Humility

While it may seem like people who really know who they are must be at least somewhat self-centered, one of the main characteristics of these people is humility. Psychologicalscience.org states that humility involves a stance that is other-oriented rather than self-focused.

It has been found that humility is a characteristic of people who hold their convictions and are not easily swayed by others’ opinions. This would seem to agree with the assumption that those who really know who they are can also be quite humble.

Final Thoughts

If you want to know who you are, try developing some of the qualities listed above. Practicing self-awareness and having these traits takes time but it is worth it to know who you are and what you want out of life. This will make the decisions you have to make simpler.