100+ Simple Questions to Get to Know Yourself for Deeper Self-Reflection

How well do you really know yourself?

Many of us have a general sense of who we are, but we don’t slow down to reflect on why we think or do things the way that we do. A lot of it happens on autopilot, shaped by your beliefs and habits, without stopping to look at what’s driving them beneath the surface.

The relationship you have with yourself is the most important relationship you will ever have, because it affects everything else. It will influence what you value, how you make decisions, what you tolerate, and basically how you move through the world.

questions to get to know yourself deeper

For a long time, the idea of getting to know myself didn’t ever occur to me. I was so used to paying attention to what other people needed or expected, and that naturally became my focus.

In my own life, I often looked outward. I noticed what other people enjoyed or made the time for and assumed that’s probably what I should be doing too. I mean, if something worked for them, it might work for me, too, right?

WRONG!!

It took me a while to realize that self- reflection was something I had rarely practiced, and because I had spent so much time watching others, I never really stopped to ask myself those questions.

But the good part is, it’s never too late to start getting to know yourself more. It’s not a chance you missed, but it’s something you can begin at any point. Self-reflection is an ongoing process.

You’re constantly changing in small, everyday ways. The things you experience, notice, and people you spend time with all shape how you think and who you become. What and how much you give your attention to matters more than we realize.

The good news? There is never a final version of you to figure out. There will always be something to learn about yourself.

What matters is choosing to begin. In this post, you’ll find 100+ simple questions to get to know yourself on a deeper level.

Let’s get started.

The Importance of Knowing Yourself

Getting to know yourself is a journey. In the middle of our busy schedules and responsibilities, most of us don’t pause to ask simple questions about who we are or what we actually want. We just keep moving and make choices based on habit or urgency.

Self-reflection helps you clarify your values, notice what is important to you, what drains you, and what feels worth your energy.

When you have this awareness, it makes it easier to make decisions that feel aligned with who you are and respond more thoughtfully to situations.

Over time, this supports more intentional living because you’re not trying to follow someone else’s path, but instead building a life that reflects who you are now, knowing you will continue to grow and change along the way.

How To Get To Know Yourself

“Who am I?” This might feel like a funny question, but it’s not that strange at all. If you’re starting your self-discovery journey, this question will come up more often than you expect.

You know you want to understand yourself better….but where do you even start?

There are so many ways to get to know yourself, and it can start by simply exploring different hobbies, paying attention to what brings you joy, or taking the time to work through your thoughts and emotions. I do this by journaling, but you can find a way that works for you.

1) Journal Questions to Get to Know Yourself

For the longest time, I made the habit of writing down any questions I had about myself. If something stood out to me, whether I was struggling with a certain emotion or even noticing what foods I liked, I would jot it down.

I tried to really focus on and be honest about how I truly felt. I’d ask myself things like, “Did I actually enjoy that meal or did I just say I did because everyone else did?” or “Why did I shut down in that moment?”

Journaling questions became a simple way to slow down, reflect, and notice patterns that I would’ve missed otherwise.

I also started to pay attention to my dreams. I noticed that what I worried about most often showed up in my dreams, as if my mind were putting my fears on display.

I would journal about these thoughts and fears, looking for any connections between my real life feelings and my dreams to see if there was an explanation.

2) Pay Attention to Your Body

Our physical body gives us a lot of information without us realizing it. For example, when your emotions shift, you might not recognize the feeling, but you can notice changes in your body sensations.

Paying attention to these sensations gives you valuable information about yourself and allows you to pause before you respond.

Ask yourself, “What is the event prompting my emotions?” “Where are the physical sensations the strongest right now?” “What just went through my mind right now?” “What would be helpful at this moment?” “Am I repeating any patterns?”

3) Identify Your Core Values

Your core values are the foundational beliefs that form the foundation of who you are. They can range from integrity and honesty, loyalty and respect, creativity, or courage. Whatever they may be, they should reflect the qualities that matter most to you.

When making decisions or taking actions, ask yourself if they align with your core values – this will be a helpful guide when trying new things or going down unfamiliar paths.

4) Go to Therapy

Therapy is a great way to get to know yourself. Your therapist will help you understand who you are and what is important to you, and support you in making value-based decisions.

You will reflect on questions to ask yourself to get to know yourself. With time, you will become more aware of your interests, values, ways of processing emotions, goals & aspirations, and, most importantly, foster self-awareness.

Loss of Identity & Dysfunctional Family

If you grew up in a dysfunctional family, you may have noticed over time that your parents didn’t always have the space or tools to fully understand themselves as individuals.

When that happens, it can be easy to carry similar patterns into adulthood, especially around identity. You might find yourself taking cues from others about who you should be, rather than feeling grounded in who you truly are.

There are many roles in a dysfunctional family. When that ‘role’ is taken away, or you think about who you are beyond that relationship, you experience an identity crisis because your identity revolves around that specific role. You start to question, “Who am I?”

That question can feel difficult when your sense of self has been closely tied to your family. In my own experiences, it took time to answer these questions and reconnect with who I am outside of those roles.

Getting to know yourself is a journey and something that requires self-compassion, patience, and a willingness to sit with your thoughts.

100 List of Questions To Get To Know Yourself Better

Are you wondering how to get to know yourself on a deeper level? Then ask yourself these questions to find out who you are.

Don’t worry about getting through every single question; just choose a section that you are curious about and only focus on those questions today.

Basic Questions to Get to Know Yourself?

How would you describe your personality?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
What is your favorite color?
What is your favorite food?
What do you enjoy about yourself the most?
What is your happiest memory?
What are your top 3 values?
What makes you happy?
What is your favorite hobby?
How would you describe yourself without mentioning your resume?

Journaling Questions To Get To Know Yourself & Your Family Dynamics

What is/was your parents relationship like with their own parents?
How do your parents handle stress?
How do your parents manage their money?
Who do your parents choose to surround themselves with?
How do your parents make important decisions? How do your parents make important decisions that involve you?
Do your parents have a developing sense of self?
Do your parents engage in self-care?
What is your parents communication style?
How did your parents manage their emotions?

Questions to Get to Know Yourself Deeper: Emotions

20 Are you able to identify your emotions?
How do you express your emotions/feelings?
How do you manage your emotions?
Are you able to explain to others how you feel?
What are behaviors that make you angry? (sad, happy, fearful, etc.)
How do you handle conflict?
What do your loved ones have to say about your temperament?
Are you able to identify the physical manifestations of your emotions?
Reflect on your emotional vulnerabilities and triggers.
What do you consider your emotional strengths and weaknesses?
What emotions do you suppress the most? Why?

Questions About Your Relationship Self

What personal values are important to you in a relationship?
Describe your relationship with your friends and family.
Describe your communication style.
How do you set personal boundaries in a relationship?
Do you feel valued by your loved ones?
Reflect on the importance of a community.
Are you able to forgive others easily?
Do you surround yourself with people who make you feel good about yourself?
How do you support your friends and family members?
How do you define healthy relationships? Unhealthy relationship?

Questions for Your Financial Self

How do you feel about money?
Do you set financial goals? List them out.
How do you manage your money? (Budgeting)
How do you feel about investing?
Do you have an emergency fund?
What is your credit score?
Are you saving money for your retirement?
Reflect on your financial obstacles.
What are your financial strengths and weaknesses?
Reflect on your current financial situation.
Do you have any debt? If so, what kind?

Reflection Questions for Your Habit Self

Reflect on your personal habits?
Do your daily habits reflect your values?
Are you able to consistently follow through on your habits?
What habits do you want to adopt for 2023?
What habits would you like to change?
Do you reward yourself for engaging in healthy habits?
Do you have a morning and evening routine?
What obstacles get in the way of engaging in healthy habits?
Do black-and-white thinking or perfectionism tendencies show up?

Fun Questions To Get To Know Yourself More

What do you like to do for fun?
Do you know what makes you happy?
What activities/hobbies are you willing to try in 2023?
What are some fun facts about you?
How do you like to spend your day?
What song do you like to dance to?
What activity makes you uncomfortable? Why?
Is it hard for you to have fun? Why?
What is your favorite TV show?
What is your favorite movie?

Questions for Your Self-Growth

What do you love the most about your life? What do you love the least?
How do you feel about making mistakes?
When was the last time you took a risk?
What are your short-term and long-term goals?
What are 3-5 things you want to improve about yourself in 2023?
What is a hobby or passion that you have been putting off?
What values guide your decision-making?
What self-growth books have you read this past year?
Do you enjoy how you spend your time?
Who do you spend most of your time with right now?

Questions for Your Mental Health

What steps did you take to care for your mental health this year?
What is your relationship with technology?
How often do you check in with yourself to recognize and name your emotions?
How often do you spend alone time?
Did you set any boundaries this past year?
How do you manage stress?
Do you extend yourself self-compassion when needed?
What are your thoughts on therapy? How has it helped you?
What are some barriers to therapy?
Reflect on your mental health. What resources do you have or lack to support your mental health?

Questions About Your Mindset

Do you have a growth mindset or a fixed mindset?
Do you have an abundance mindset or a scarcity mindset?
What does success mean to you?
Are you able to appreciate progress even if you don’t reach the goal?
How do you recover from making mistakes?
How do you feel about your abilities?
What habit or mindset is no longer serving you?
Growing up, what message did you receive about mindset?
What are the things that hold you back?
Do you strive to learn something new every day?

Questions About Self-Love

How do you feel about yourself?
How do you speak to yourself?
How do you show yourself love?
Are you able to say yes to things you want and no to things you do not want?
Do you celebrate your efforts?
How do you handle compliments?
What do you do on days it is hard to love yourself?
Can you rely on yourself?
What does happiness mean to you?
What are the things/people that give you energy? What are the things/people that drain you?

BONUS: Questions About Myself to Ask Friends

When do you think I am most like myself?
What do you think are my strongest qualities?
How do you think I handle stressors in life?
What type of energy do I bring into the room?
What’s one habit or pattern you’ve noticed in me?
When have you seen me grow the most?
What value do you think I add to your life?
What motivates me the most in life right now?
If you knew I wouldn’t get upset, what advice would you want to give me?

Other Exercises to Get To Know Yourself

If you’re looking for other ways to get to know yourself, simple exercises like journaling or taking up new hobbies can be just as helpful.

You don’t need to make big life changes or feel like this is another thing to add to your list; even small moments of reflection, like checking in with yourself before bed or listing things that made you proud, can slowly help build a clearer sense of who you are.

My favorite way of getting to know myself right now is going on monthly solo dates. This month, I’m trying out a new coffee shop while I get some work done, and it makes me so excited. Find something that feels realistic and doable for you, but something that also makes you excited to start.

Final Thoughts….

Asking yourself questions to get to know yourself on a deeper level can open the doors to new insights and help you feel more connected to the life you’re building.

These questions are simply an invitation to explore yourself a little more and notice what feels true.

Happy reflecting, cycle breakers.

find these reflection questions helpful? Pin this post for later.

Nisha Patel

Founder of Brown Girl Trauma

My name is Nisha Patel. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the face behind the space Brown Girl Trauma (BGT). BGT is a Mental Health and Self-Growth Community for Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families. The central question that drives my work is, “How can we break the cycle of family dysfunction?” To answer that question, I like to write about ways to reparent your inner child through healthy self-growth & mental health practices- addressing your unmet needs.

100+ Simple Questions to Get to Know Yourself for Deeper Self-Reflection

The Importance of Knowing Yourself

How To Get To Know Yourself