Living your life with purpose is key to being happy and fulfilled.

A popular quote attributed to Mark Twain states that the two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.

But what if it takes you longer than expected to identify the why in this equation?

Are you just drifting aimlessly through life?

Not exactly.

Every decision you make brings you one step closer to discovering your true self.

Plus, there are ways to tell if the path youre on is the correct one.

Here are 8 signs youre becoming the person you were meant to be, according to psychology.

Keep up the good work.

Being self-aware is a big sign that youre questioning your existence and slowly molding yourself into who you want to be.

People who embrace self-awareness feel empowered as they begin to see themselves and their impact more clearly, according to psychology.

The more you understand yourself, the more likely you are to figure out what makes you tick and how you can tweak your routine to better align with what you want to accomplish.

Some people go through life without any clue as to why they do the things they do and whether those things benefit them.

They chase goals society tells them they should chase.

Get a well-paid job, start a family, buy a house, provide for your loved ones.

Even when they accomplish those goals, they feel restless and empty because perhaps thats not what they wanted in the first place?

Maybe instead of chasing that well-paid job, they would have been better off pursuing less lucrative, yet more fulfilling avenues like art.

Maybe instead of buying a house, they would have been happier buying a campervan and traveling the world.

Self-aware people, in contrast, know who they are, what they value, and what they stand for.

Being one of them is reason enough to celebrate.

Not only do you know who you are, but you stay true to that person, even when life gets tough.

Its another sign that youre becoming the person you were meant to be, and psychologists agree with this statement.

Multiple studies found that authentic people are much happier with their lives and have higher self-esteem.

One of the values I care most about is freedom. I like to be able to design my day, my week, my month however I want.

In other words, I hate being tied down to a traditional, 9-to-5 job. Its one of the reasons I became a freelance content writer.

Before this, I worked as a journalist for a little over five years, with a hectic schedule that left little time for leisure.

I then overcorrected and opted for a full-time, on-site job with a small agency.

After a few months, I began to hate the strict schedule. The rigidity felt claustrophobic.

I couldnt understand:

I started to freelance on the side and, when the time was right, quit that job to pursue a freelance career.

Last year, I went through my biggest freelance slumps since I embarked on this adventure.

For a couple of months, I couldnt find enough work to cover my bills.

I was so stressed that I was tempted to try and join the corporate world once again.

Looking back, Im glad I resisted that impulse.

Things eventually worked out, and I would have been miserable if I caved. I would have betrayed who I am to my very core.

Sure, we are sometimes forced to make sacrifices in the name of financial security.

But when you are dedicated to staying true to who you are, youre more likely to work harder to avoid that.

Reflecting on your long-term goals indicates a proactive engagement with your own development.

Youre not living in survival mode, only interested in making it from one day to the next.

You are trying to come up with a clear idea of what you want to achieve in life and a plan to get it.

According to psychology, one of the biggest advantages of introspection is increased happiness.

If youre motivated and determined to go after what you want, your confidence grows.

You begin to feel like youre working towards something.

Like youre not wasting your life accepting the bare minimum.

Its a high that will take you farther than you might expect.

Psychologists found a positive link between having a sense of belonging and your overall well-being.

Its easy to see why.

A sense of belonging indicates that you have found a place or community where you can authentically be yourself without fear of judgment or rejection.

You have a support network that provides comfort and encouragement.

As you feel safe and appreciated, you are more inclined to explore new interests and develop new skills.

Youve found your tribe, and theyll have your back no matter what.

Thats truly wonderful.

Speaking of having a solid support system, another sign that youre becoming the person you were meant to be is that your relationships are healthy.

As everyone who has ever had to deal with toxic individuals knows, those relationships suck up a lot of time and energy.

They prevent your personal growth and rob you of joy and fulfillment.

Healthy relationships, on the other hand, are built on mutual respect, trust, and open communication.

Its easier to reflect on who you are and where you want to go when no one is holding you back from becoming a better version of yourself.

As a recovering people pleaser, learning to say no made a huge impact on my journey of self-development.

Back in the day, I put my needs last. I focused on everyone elses to ensure that people werent secretly mad at me or, worst case scenario, hated my guts.

Now, I know that someone hating my guts isnt a big deal.

Despite my winning personality (wink), not everyone will like me, and Im okay with that.

Setting boundaries freed up so much time for me to pursue my goals and cultivate self-compassion.

According to psychology, an essential trait of a people pleaser is that they go with the flow thats dictated by others.

Once you realize you cant please everyone, you find your own flow.

Its a big step in the right direction.

Having a growth mindset is a surefire sign that youre becoming the person you were meant to be.

You can live a more meaningful existence by embracing challenges and being committed to life-long learning, according to psychology.

Thats exactly what having a growth mindset means:

Having a growth mindset makes you get out of your comfort zone.

Once you understand that you can achieve almost anything you set your mind to, youre halfway there.

Taking responsibility for your life marks a shift from passivity to agency, from victimhood to empowerment.

Its a fundamental aspect of becoming the person you were meant to be.

You arent able to control everything, because the universe has a funny way of repeatedly reminding us whos in charge.

But even when the unexpected happens, you can control how you react to the curveballs life throws your way.

According to Alex Lickerman, M.D., The degree of control we have over how we respond to what happens to us is far greater than we often realize and it remains the key to our happiness.

When you take responsibility for your life you acknowledge that your actions and decisions have consequences, and you accept accountability for the outcomes.

More importantly, you realize that you create your destiny, as cheesy as that may sound.

Its the moment you stop being a passive bystander in your own life.

Its also when you start making positive changes that will eventually take you wherever you need to go.

Following your calling is the only way to maximize your potential and become the person you were meant to be.

Even if youre not 100% sure about your purpose yet, as long as the signs above apply to you, youre on the right track.

Trust the process.

Soon, the nagging feeling that something is missing from your life will vanish, replaced by a feeling of contentment and awe.

In this age of information overload and pressure to meet others expectations, many struggle to connect with their core purpose and values. Its easy to lose your inner compass.

Jeanette Brown created this free values discovery PDF to help clarify your deepest motivations and beliefs. As an experienced life coach and self-improvement teacher, Jeanette guides people through major transitions by realigning them with their principles.

Her uniquely insightful values exercises will illuminate what inspires you, what you stand for, and how you aim to operate. This serves as a refreshing filter to tune out societal noise so you can make choices rooted in what matters most to you.

With your values clearly anchored, youll gain direction, motivation and the compass to navigate decisions from your best self rather than fleeting emotion or outside influences.

Stop drifting without purpose. Rediscover what makes you come alive with Jeanette Browns values clarity guide.

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8 signs you're becoming the person you were meant to be, according to psychology - Hack Spirit