Self-Perception: A Journey Towards Well-Being

As time passes and we grow, I’ve come to understand how crucial self-perception is and how this awareness can have a profoundly positive impact on our well-being.

So, what do we generally mean by well-being? It’s often seen as a state of overall health, balance, and satisfaction, encompassing physical, mental, and emotional aspects. We think of well-being as harmony and tranquility, touching various areas of life like the body, mind, social relationships, work, and day-to-day living. Would you agree? But doesn’t it feel like something’s missing? Isn’t that definition a bit too simplistic? It almost seems as though our well-being depends solely on our external environment.

But what about the internal environment?

I’m talking about our inner world, everything we carry within ourselves. So, who or what is responsible for our well-being in this context? The answer might seem obvious, and I’m sure you’re all thinking in unison: “Me. It depends on me.” Exactly! But how, exactly?

I’ve asked myself this question many times and, in more depth, how I could make my “self” aware that it is the cause of my own well-being. So, I began a deep self-analysis, breaking down my core into small fragments, fearing that I might hurt the very seat of my emotions. But I didn’t want to give up—I was determined to face it all, knowing I wanted to achieve my well-being.

I swam through memories, allowing myself to be carried by their current like a fish searching for a more comfortable place to rest. I kept going, diving deeper until I reached the bottom, and there I found what I was looking for.

Amidst those emotional echoes, I found moments where I felt crushed, flattened by sadness and the realization that I couldn’t defend my true self—where I lacked the pragmatic sense of self-awareness.

There’s one memory in particular that has stayed with me over time, and I’d like to share it with you.

Between 2007 and 2012, I attended a technical institute that, starting in my third year, allowed me to choose a more focused path aligned with my needs and interests. However, throughout those five years, I had the same teacher for Italian, literature, and history—someone who watched me grow academically during that time.

Despite my changes, growth, and evolution, she remained steadfast in her perception of me as both an individual and a student, never allowing room for change. She decided I wasn’t capable of writing, and for five long years, whatever I wrote was never good enough.

But fate had other plans. During my final exams, a different commission of teachers—an external panel who didn’t know me at all—was assigned to assess my work. And for the Italian writing exam, I scored 15 out of 15, the highest possible grade.

Imagine the shock—not just mine, but that of my teacher, who had followed me for five years. Needless to say, she didn’t give me even the slightest satisfaction, instead choosing to believe I must have been on something to perform that well.

I reflected deeply on this experience and realized how unaware I had been in not having a solid opinion of myself—a self-perception that could give value to my spirit. I had allowed myself to be judged without offering any resistance, without ever shouting, “That’s not true!” Whether or not I could write didn’t matter; that wasn’t the point. What truly mattered was how important it is to have a perception of oneself. And that’s where it connects with well-being—the well-being that belongs to our inner world. It’s the well-being that helps us break free from the chains of social opinion or prejudice, which may even be grounded in reality but don’t allow for our evolution, for the possibility that we can change in the eyes of those who judge us.

In conclusion, I believe that well-being—the kind that makes us feel good on the inside—is deeply tied to our self-perception. We must listen to our inner voice, defend it, and remain open to transformation and the constant evolution of our being.

Shine a light on the possibility of becoming what the world never expected you to be.

Do it. For your well-being.

See you in the studio,

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