If a museum about you had a gift shop, what would be the souvenirs?
I sent this question out into the TikTok universe a few weeks ago, and 14,000 responses came pouring in—from mugs and magnets to half-finished notebooks and temporary tattoos of real ones.
But what struck me most were those who confessed, "I don't know myself well enough to answer this."
What does it mean to really, truly know yourself? Especially now when so often projections mingle with our reflections, and we crave definition yet fear being boxed in. We seek answers everywhere, as we always have, from lighthearted personality quizzes in teen magazines to complex psychological assessments we exchange like trading cards. (I'm an INFP, you?)
Tell me who I am, we whisper to every astrological reading, every Enneagram test.
But ultimately, there will never be just one result. We must remain consistently curious about ourselves.
To never arrive at a definitive answer is a fortune, not a curse. It means we’ve had time to change, grow, and stretch within our own existence. The key lies not in deciding on one answer but in how we continue asking the question. For example, the museum gift shop is essentially asking, “What represents you? What should people take away from knowing you?" But framed within the context of a museum store, it becomes an invitation to explore and visualize rather than a demand for succinct answers.
So this week I'm giving you a collection of similar questions. Write about them in your journal, ponder them on your morning commute, answer them aloud in front of your bathroom mirror as you get ready, or respond to the same one every few months on the same page to witness how the answers (and you) are evolving.
What superpower would you NOT want?
What notes would you give an actor cast to play you in a film?
If you could exchange one of your fears for a different one, what would you trade?
Which location would you haunt as a ghost?
If your future self mailed you a care package, what would you hope to find inside?
What would be your signature daily outfit as a cartoon character?
If your life had a soundtrack, what song would be playing right at this moment?
If you could pick the setting of tonight's dream before falling asleep, where would it take place?
What is your favorite fictional universe, and how would you spend a trip there?
What would be the post-credits scene in a movie about your life thus far?