When I got the idea to write an article on the topic “Who am I really?”, the first thing that came to mind was a panel discussion I moderated three years ago with that exact title.
Back then, I was joined by: Biljana Radusinović, Ivica Tatar, Zorica Kalezić, Maja Pavličić, and Uroš Bulatović. I remember the energy of that conversation and the words that were spoken carefully, but honestly. I also remember the looks on the faces of people in the audience, those looks that seemed to whisper inside: “This question applies to me too.”
That’s why it matters to me to return to these words from time to time. Not because I’m looking for one final answer, but to remind myself of what we often forget in the rush of everyday life: who we used to be, and who we are now. Because we change, we grow, we break, we mature.
Sometimes, in that change, we drift away from ourselves without even noticing.
Some of us will find an answer to the question “Who am I really?” right away. Some will find it in the early stages of life. Some only in middle age. And some maybe never. That doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with us. This question isn’t easy, but it is healing. It asks us to pause and look beneath all our roles. Beneath all the “I have to,” “I should,” “that’s best,” “just let me finish this one more thing.” It asks us to return to ourselves.
As you read this, maybe it’s enough to simply pause and ask yourself a few questions:
- What truth about myself do I already know, but am not living yet?
- Which part of me needs more space, but I keep putting it on hold?
- Who am I really in this period of my life?
- What matters to me now?
- What do I no longer want for myself?
- If I followed my feelings instead of other people’s expectations, what would my first small step be?
You don’t have to have the answers right away. It’s enough to stay open. Sometimes the point isn’t to “find ourselves,” but to stop drifting away.
Every time we choose honesty, a boundary, or something that feels good for us, we are actually taking a small step back home. Back to ourselves.
