This post is a reflection on a book by Nishimura Yoshiaki. He is a Japanese writer who has been looking at the nature of work and how people should approach work. It’s only in Japanese but I will include the link anyway for those who can read Japanese. Unfortunately there’s no English version.
Two Selves
In the book, he talked about the two selves. There is the usual self, or the outer self, which is how we interact with others and the external world. Then there is the inner self, which is the true self. The author points out the importance of separating the self into two entities. When we interact with others, it is the outer self that deals with the outside world. But it is important to also allow this outer ‘self’ talk and listen to our inner self. I guess the inner self is basically where our deepest desires and feelings lie. The inner self is essentially how we were when we were kids, our true nature.
When We Pay Too Much Attention To The Outer Self
When we pay too much attention to the external world, we let the outside world influence the self and it can be overwhelming. The most obvious example would be how we conduct ourselves at work. If we let work dictate who we are, we could lose our sense of purpose and could feel unfulfilled. We need to try to cater to our inner self and listen to that voice.
Taking Care Of The Inner Self
How we interact with our inner self could also manifest in how we interact with others. The interesting thing is, we can actually improve how we communicate with the outside world if we address our inner desires and be honest with the inner self. This is an interesting concept. When we look after our inner selves, we will start to find inspirations and possibilities towards a better version of the life situations we are in.
It’s an interesting way to look at ourselves. The outer self is our titles, our roles we have when dealing with the outer world. It’s what most people have been used to or perhaps the only self they know of. It can be overwhelming and taxing when we feel stuck with our life situation. However, with the introduction of the inner self into our inner conversations, we now have a new possibility to work on. It’s quite a refreshing way to see ourselves and it could change our lives too.