What Does Inner Work Look Like?
- For Your Inner G
- Jan 4, 2023
- 6 min read
Updated: 3 hours ago
The Only Way Up Is In: 3 Effective Self Care Tips to Thrive Mentally, Emotionally, and Socially
It’s challenging to know what you want out of life without deeply understanding who you are. If you want to experience all the great things God has in store for you, you must stop running from yourself, dive deep within, and discover who you truly are.
I will be the first to admit…inner work doesn’t always feel good or look good…at first.
When you begin the process of self-discovery, you will go through a whirlwind of positive and negative thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Whether you’re battling the opinions of others, hurtful experiences, or the silent whispers you speak about yourself, it can feel like you’re up against a too high of a wall to climb over.
Inner work can be exhausting at times. Who wants to face their pain? However, there’s nothing more draining than living a life unaware of your abilities or strengths, particularly, when you stop hiding from a process that can only heal, improve, and lead to a life of fulfillment.
It’s time to embrace the healing and transformative power that exists within.
Engage in an experience that helps you discover….You!
In this article you will learn the power of self awareness, inner work, and effective ways to explore yourself for mental, emotional, and social stability.
Main Takeaways:
Don’t go through life feeling like a victim when you have the opportunity to live as a victor.
You must spend time getting to know yourself on a deep and intimate level.
Knowing your weaknesses and shortcomings allow you to make powerful and life-changing informed decisions.
Inner work is an uncomfortable yet essential process that helps you eliminate all the internal false narratives standing in your way of living your best life.
There’s really no easy way to say this…..and this can honestly be one of the main reasons many feel as though Adulting Sucks. Growing up, we are often told what to do, what to learn, and what should matter to us. As children, we need this leadership. Much of the advice and guidance we receive is helpful as we learn how to navigate in the world, but it can also create a dependency that is difficult to recognize. Although this insight helps us grow and develop, it subconsciously leads many to believe: if others can teach us how to exist in the world, then they must also know who we are, what’s our life purpose, and what we need to do to become our greatest selves.
When you seek others to help you understand yourself in this way, you have the potential to receive helpful feedback, but you are the only one on this planet who knows who you are. In order to achieve a true understanding of what matters to you, you must spend time getting to know yourself on a deep and intimate level.
The decision to develop your self awareness often occurs after many experiences have shaped how you think, feel, and live your life. When you begin to explore your inner world, you may discover that you’re not living from a place of authenticity. You may recognize that you’re living from a space of survival, fear, and people pleasing.
🗣 “This is how I need to think to be liked by my peers”
🗣 “This is how I need to dress to be cool.”
🗣 “This is how I need to act to be loved.”
🗣 “This is the career I need to attain to be successful.”
Are those really your thoughts?
Do they align with who you truly are?
These questions may create the pain and fear associated with looking inward. You may begin to realize, everything you think you know and love, is something you were taught to enjoy; not what you actually feel connected to. Research shows that many young adults work hard to achieve success and are able to reach their goals; yet they arrive feeling unfulfilled, unpurposeful, and left craving the need to understand….who am I?
You must explore yourself to understand yourself.
Here are three effective ways to begin your inner work journey:
Identify What Matters Most: Take a few moments to reflect on what truly matters to YOU and why. During this exercise, be sure to examine if your responses are based on who you truly are or what you believe you should become.
Face the Pain: There’s no getting around it. If you try to ignore any pain you’ve experienced by burying it deep inside, it’ll showcase in others areas of your life; triggering you into its memory until you address it and heal. This is challenging but very rewarding work to your life and your future life experiences.
Ask yourself: Why go through life feeling as a victim when I have the opportunity to live as a victor?
When you face the pain, you gain control over your emotions and acquire the mental toughness to overcome feelings associated with the experience.
You may never understand why certain things happened to you but you must have the strength to reflect and release. Make a choice to courageously live beyond what you experienced by morphing it into a learning opportunity. Note: Access our Journal prompts for Self Reflection to begin working through this process.
Nurture the Child Within: When you fail to nurture your inner well-being, your true and authentic self may feel like a genie in a bottle; stored up, pent up, and waiting for a chance to be set free. As you begin to uncover who you are, what you love, and why it matters to you, you will notice an overwhelming amount of inspiration flow to and through you. This may lead you to engage in activities related to your childhood. Embrace it. Feed it. Nurture the feeling of connecting to you.
This is your mind, body, and spirit's way of getting you to recall your authentic joy so that it may be incorporated into how you; show up in the world, connect with those around you, and express your inner gifts for purposeful living.
You must spend time getting to know yourself on a deep and intimate level if you want to live your best life from a real and authentic space.
How deep are your inner wounds? We understand how challenging it can be to live in this world. You may have experienced deep pain, heartbreak, and/or cruelty when being yourself. Bullying, cyberbullying, and ugly spirited people do exist. We apologize if they have made you feel low about yourself to the point of wanting to hurt, harm, or take your own life. If you are struggling with anxiety, depression, or suicidal thoughts, please access the YouthLine today by texting teen2teen to 839863, or by calling 1-877-968-8491
If you would like to receive support and practical guidance on how to pivot back to purpose, we would love to help you win! Click here to join The Inner G Collective.
Inner work can be exhausting….but there’s nothing more draining than living a life unaware of your abilities and strengths, particularly, when you stop hiding from the essential process that helps you heal, improve, and reveal your true identity and purpose.
Get started by spending intentional time with yourself.
If you could do anything in the world, what would you do? Who would you become?
How can you show yourself compassion for what you have gone through? For where you are in your life right now?
How can you transform your pain into a powerful opportunity to discover who you are and achieve your wildest dreams?
Reflect on This:
In what ways will you intentionally work towards becoming a better you?
What would the “healed you” do?
Over the next 90 days, what inner battles will you courageously face and aim to overcome?
Remember:
You have the power to overcome, rebuild, and discover the greatness that is YOU but....Inner work is a must do.!
Disclaimer: This article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, mental health, or clinical care. If you have questions about your health—or need support right now—please reach out to a qualified provider you trust.
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Amirah B. Abdullah, DrPH
Founder of For Your Inner G | Writer + Wellness Educator
Dr. Amirah is a public health–trained emotional wellness guide helping people build practical inner skills—calming the mind, processing emotions, and responding to life with wisdom. Through The Gym for the Mind, she shares grounded reflections, prevention-rooted tools, and poetic truth designed to support steady growth in everyday life.
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