“There are essentially two questions in life – a spiritual question and a material question. The spiritual question is ‘Who am I?’ The material question is ‘What am I to do with my life?’ One leads to the other.” – Rasheed Ogunlaru

“Why I was there and what I was meant to do, that I’ve never known, and a part of me wonders if I ever will.”

One of life’s biggest questions we find ourselves asking is: Who am I?

I’m not talking about where you were born, or how you were raised, or what your ethnicity or culture or level of education is. I am talking about what makes you, you. What core element resonates within you as the central part of your very being. What lies within that only you can rise up and give out into the world?

What is your centre?

It’s a question everyone asks of themselves at one time or another. Some of us discover our centre early on in life, while others struggle with searching for years. Some, never truly find out, and although they may live their lives well and reach various accomplishments, that deep internal stirring is left fallow. A tragedy indeed, for we all have a great individual power at our centre, and if it is never discovered and nurtured, the world is poorer for having never been touched by it.

There are different reasons why people struggle with finding or acknowledging their ‘centre’. Some are unable to find it due to a lack of self-belief. Others may have glimpsed their inner power, but do not take the time to cultivate it because they make comparisons with the centres they see in others. Others do not believe they have anything in their centre worth drawing out and giving–whether the reason lies in a distorted point-of-view, a troubled childhood, a lack of desire, or a lack of understanding.

Abuse from friends, strangers, family or self may have clouded or shrivelled your centre, covering it in the tainted veils of bitterness, depression, hatred, cynicism, or wrung it dry to point of complete meaninglessness. You may look into your centre and see only anger. You may look and see only barrenness. But those are only coverings; sharp and hardened shells, but breakable nonetheless. Whether it ends up being faith, indifference or desperation that drives you, you need to break away the darkness to see that there is something pure and brilliant beyond. Do not make the mistake of naming a hardened shell your centre. Your centre holds something greater than the sum of your hurts and fears.

Events and actions may shape your environments and colour your perceptions, but one thing will always be within your power: choice.

The truth is everyone is individual, and the power and gifts they hold in their centres is equally unique. You can choose to believe that or you can choose not to. Your thoughts and actions will follow that choice, and thus shape the rest of your life and how you live it.

Thus what a wondrous thing it is indeed, to behold the person who has discovered their centre, and uses its powers to positively impact the lives of others, and to shape the world around them for the better.

If you have watched the movie, Rise of the Guardians, you will know how important the theme ‘knowing your centre’ ties into the story – especially for the character Jack Frost. In the clip below, North (Santa Claus) explains the concept of ‘centre’ to Jack, opening his mind to the truth that the power he holds has a purpose, and that purpose can only rise to its potential if Jack seeks to learn what his centre is.

You–each and every one of you–have something at your centre uniquely crafted into you. You have a greatness that can touch the lives of all those around you; a gifting that you, and you alone, can send out into the world in your own distinctive way. It could be Honesty, Fun, Joy, Music, Courage, Unity, Imagination, Ambition, Love, Hope, or Strength. The possibilities are almost innumerable.

If you don’t know what your centre is, then seek to discover it. If you do know what it is, nurture it and send it out into the world. A gift hoarded is no gift at all. Your centre is who you are–and the reason you have it is to share it with others.

“It is not true that everyone is special. It is true that everyone was once special and still possesses the ability to recover it.” – Criss Jamie