Have you ever noticed that in many fairy tales or sci-fi adventures, the main character tends to have some sort of origin story?
These are semi-historical accounts of their childhood where something pivotal happens, some defining moment, that shapes who they become as an adult.
…maybe they survive a horrible car accident or
…they stand up to a bully or maybe
…someone new enters or leaves their life, influencing how they behave through the remainder of their childhood.
Some of these characters end up becoming heroes, others become villains. But they all do something monumental with their lives.
In life, we all have our own origin story. And though it may not make the history books, our actions do contribute to shaping this world and its future.
How do we ensure that our contributions are meaningful?
I believe the answer to this question can be guided by how we focus on our personal and professional growth and development and this in turn is guided by understanding our origins.
Digging Deep Into Your Origins:
Where you come from defines who you will become. We are always either learning or teaching something or someone, whether it is conscious or unconscious.
There are two areas that we can explore to find the hidden meanings within our origin stories: metacognition and introspection. I know you’re wondering what these big words have to do with you, right?
A brief explanation of introspection and metacognition
First, let’s talk about introspection. Have you ever wondered why you impulsively bought something from the store when it was never really on your shopping list to begin with?
Or why when you saw someone do something you would never do in a million years (like jumping out of a plane), you said to yourself—“Oh hell no!”?
When you attempt to access your own internal psychological processes, judgments, perceptions, or states, you are in a state of introspection.
Being introspective may help you understand why you may hold a particular attitude or belief, why you made a particular decision about something, or engaged in a certain behavior.
Now, let’s learn about about metacognition. When you are thinking about your own thinking, you are practicing metacognition. Sounds like a cat chasing its tail. Right? Well actually- it’s a little more practical than that.
Metacognitive thinking is the work you put in to plan, monitor, and assess what you understand of this world and how you perform in it.
When you put this to practice, you can learn what:
- your strengths and weaknesses are,
- gaps you need to work on, and
- areas of your life need additional input to really grow to the levels you hope to achieve.
Putting Thought to Action:
Introspection and metacognitive thinking can be hard work. But, Now is a great time to be self-reflective!
You’re digging in deep on your previous thoughts, feelings, and actions.
It’s like looking at yourself in the mirror and finding all your blemishes. But you may also see the twinkle in your eyes and the wonderful smile you have.
The journey towards self-awareness and self-knowledge helps us understand what made us who we are and what is holding us back.
When we understand our origin story, we can be clearer about our goals for personal and professional growth and development.
But how can you do this?
Here are 4 ways to hone those self-reflective processes:
1. Journaling: 
I’ve never been big on journaling, but I have several friends who love writing about their daily lives. It’s very cathartic for them.
Some of my friends have even written whole books. It can be a great way to reflect on your emotions, feelings, and actions. And with advances in technology, there are so many formats that you can use to put pen to paper.
Here are a few:
- Journaling apps and books that correspond to the calendar days or that segment into different sections (you often see this in gratitude and goal-setting journals)
- Blogging. It’s not for the faint, but it can be a great way to process your thoughts and feelings in a systematic way.
- Putting pen to paper. If you’re old school- you can just use a regular notebook. This is the preferred method for many. And though it is super simple, it does get the job done. Being a little more tech-savvy, you could always upscale to a computer or tablet- but don’t forget to back-up your data. It would suck to lose those inner most thoughts to a system malfunction!
2. Communicating with Others: We often serve as sounding boards for one another; sharing our inner-most thoughts and feelings with people who represent safe spaces for us. These individuals help us make sense of the world and what we’ve done or said to contribute to it.
I believe that there are 2 concrete ways we can do this to really be self-reflective:
- talk to your family or friends
- work with a therapist or coach
Sometimes talking to the people who you know and who know you best may be beneficial in giving you missing background information about your origin story.
But, there are inherent biases associated with these conversations in that what they share with you is based on their view of what happened to contribute to who you have become. And this can also influence who you will become in the future.
Therapists and coaches may not have the background to provide context, but they can often pull this from you by helping you explore your memories, thoughts, and emotions; building a foundation for you to formulate your own conclusions about your origins.
One of the greatest benefits of working with these individuals is their unbiased approach to YOUR exploration process.
I believe individuals from both groups serve a vital purpose in helping you understand your origin story.
But whomever you choose to serve in this role must respect the process, regardless of how it affects them.
This is, after all, about YOUR growth and development and not theirs.
3. Praying and/or meditating: If you are a religious person, you may see prayer as a meaningful way to have a conversation with God or a higher power(s).
Because many of us use prayer as a means to work out our internal struggles, I do see where during this process you can also be self-reflective.
And by doing so, you are tapping into introspection and metacognition.
While you may not fully process your origin story, prayer can get you to think about what you need to elevate yourself and others to higher levels.
Meditation can serve a similar purpose.
I have found it a great way to be contemplative; helping me to think about my past influences (my origin story) and to be appreciative of the present, while setting intentions for my future.
Whichever you prefer, know that these can both be great opportunities to sit still and center yourself; making you more aware of the things you can control and thing things you cannot.
4. Creating Artwork: As a medium, art can capture your thoughts and feelings where more conventional ways for understanding yourself may fall short.
Often used in therapy, it can facilitate the ability for you to step outside of your comfort zone while bringing meaning to things that may otherwise not make sense.
I like to rotate between different methods. From singing and dancing to painting and photography, there are so many ways to create art.
What I love about art the most is that, as long as you are not hurting others, there is no wrong way to express yourself.
If you’re looking to get introspective or metacognitive, why not give art a try? Who knows you may find your inner Van Gogh or Mozart.
Key Takeaways:
If you don’t know where you’ve come from, you don’t know where you’re going.
-Maya Angelou
We are all a work in progress. Maya Angelou once said, “I have great respect for the past. If you don’t know where you’ve come from, you don’t know where you’re going. I have respect for the past, but I’m a person of the moment. I’m here, and I do my best to be completely centered at the place I’m at, then I go forward to the next place.”
This is a great time to be introspective and metacognitive. Once you have a deeper grasp of your origin story, I believe this can guide how you navigate the dance of life and what you contribute to the world, as a result.
Disclaimer: The content of this blog and website is the sole opinion of the author and is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal, medical, financial, or other professional advice. Always seek counsel from a professional for these matters if you have questions or concerns regarding your specific circumstances.
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I swear, I was JUST discussing this with a friend a few days ago….the concept of the “origin story” is so real for me, and for anyone else who love superheroes, comics, super hero movies etc, It’ the perfect way to understand our growth and evolution as individuals. Thanks for this post, I’m def going to share with my friend!
Thanks for the comment, S. Brown. Yes- I am a huge fan of Marvel and DC comics. I’m sure I drew from there for inspiration. But we all have a story to tell. I hope you are able to explore yours and it helps in your growth and development.
You’re speaking my language – thank you! Keep good going ☺️
Thank you for reading! I’m glad I inspired you through my words. It’s why I started this blog. 😊
Introspection and metacognition. Hmmmmm, deeply thinking about what I’m thinking about. Seems to me like an excellent way to purify my thoughts so that my origin story could ultimately provide me with a sturdy foundation for my future. I pray I’m right. ☝🏾