Reflecting in Others – Solitude, Self-Insight, and Life's Resonance
Christer Berggren
Visionary Project Manager | Event and Culture Creator | Inspiring Lecturer | Adventure-Seeking Expat | AI Pioneer in Prompt Design | Innovator, Content Creator, and Bridge Builder Between Vision and Practicality
Solo journeys, solitude in everyday life, and conscious choices to walk one's own path create a unique relationship with oneself. When, like me, you choose to spend large parts of your life alone, the only reflections you receive are those that echo within yourself. Thoughts that, if you are in a low mood, can pull you further down into a downward spiral. There is no external voice to break the negative loop, no other perspective to awaken the realization that you might be wrong in your own judgmental analysis of your life.
The Echo of the Lone Wanderer
In solitude, one's own voice becomes stronger, but paradoxically also more uncertain. You only have your own thoughts to reflect on, and these thoughts can be colored by mood, temporary setbacks, or a lack of external validation. Sometimes, a solo adventurer or independent person can get stuck in the belief that their experiences lack significance simply because no one else confirms their value.
Meeting friends is a valuable balancing point, but it is not always enough. When friends know you well, their words can reflect your own self-image and be colored by your shared history. That is why it is sometimes so much more powerful to reflect in strangers—people who have no preconceptions about who you are.
Telling Your Story and Seeing Others' Reactions
One thing that has always fascinated me is how strangers react when I share my life story. It is in their curiosity, their questions, and sometimes their admiration that I get a more objective picture of what I have actually done and who I am.
When I talk about how I sailed and lived on a boat for six years, or when I describe how I climbed a 2,900-meter mountain at the age of 62 without training, I often see a spark of inspiration in people's eyes. That’s when I understand that what I have done truly matters. That the challenges I have taken on, and the paths I have chosen, are neither obvious nor trivial.
It is not until I receive another person's understanding and reflection that I can truly see my own journey with clear eyes. And it is this encounter, this feedback from another soul, that lifts my self-image from the inside out.