I think it's one of the most important skills to have as an adult. In fact, it's beneficial to have at any point in your life. The sooner, the better.
Growing up, it's something that my dad constantly made sure I was doing. Every birthday, every new school year, every milestone in my life both big or small. He'd always say "Okay now that [insert transitional live event here], make sure you take the time to think about who you
were, who you are, and who you want to be." I'd always breathe heavily and do the long "OKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK" to hopefully get him to stop talking. I thought it was the corniest thing, but I did it anyway.
Now that I'm somewhat(?) of an adult, I'm just now seeing how many people lack that skill. So many people truly don't know who they are. Maybe they didn't have time to find out (due to circumstances outside of their control), maybe they didn't take their parents' advice, maybe their parents never gave them advice. Either way, I've met a bunch of people who don't know what they like to do for fun, they haven't come to any real conclusions of their own, or they live in absolutes.
People who are blind (either by choice or by ignorance) to life's many complexities. They tend to be unnaturally optimistic, or incredibly pessimistic. They're the ones who directly answer a question in the short answer portion of an exam but lose points because they can't/don't explain how they came to their conclusion.
I don't get it. I don't do well with people who are so strongly opinionated that they're closed to discussion. I find that those are the same people who are unable to be introspective enough to consider the fact that they may be wrong about something (or in some cases, everything).
I think one of the greatest characteristics of humanity is adaptation. Survival. Growth, in every sense of the word. Isn't that something we should take advantage of? As people part of a society that grows more inclusive every day? As a person?
The only reason why I could see someone not willing to be introspective is fear. Fear of the unknown, or the known. Perhaps fear of reality; I once knew someone who lived solely in their own perception of what reality was. A bubble of sorts. Even though it wasn't compatible with the actual truth. They took comfort in the lies that insulated the walls of that bubble. Facts were the needles that threatened to pop their bubble, so to protect it anyone who came with questions or facts was met with dismissal or anger. I'm more than glad to say that I no longer know that person anymore and I have left them to have their bubble popped in the most rudely awakening way.
I've since chosen to surround myself with people who not only seek growth but want to do it with me. Who are doing it with me.
It's really nice.
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