This may be a helpful analogy on the previous idea. The scent of your own home, good or bad, is not as apparent to you as it is to others. They may be able to define particular smells in your home that your nose is not even capable of sensing. Why? Well, because over time your nose becomes adapt to the scents in your home. Maybe your clothes smell a certain way... you would never know. The same idea applies when trying to discover yourself. It may take some insight from others or even some criticism before you have the ability to see who you are.
Understanding people can also be a brilliant addition to your life. Everyone functions differently. To be able to find a group or even one other person or persons that act the same way and handle themselves the same way you do is a long shot. Not to say that it can't be done, just don't disappoint yourself if you don't find these people right off the bat.
Fact: People suck. And by suck, I mean they are ignorant to your ideas, beliefs, and needs. Whether or not there are people that have the ability to reads minds is beyond me... but I do know this; I cannot. To be able to expect the worst from the human race is golden. It becomes more apparent to me as time goes by that everyone, in their own way, is an antagonist to my life. But at the same time, I am also an antagonist to them.
I've walked many different paths, chosen many different options that may not have always been the best options, and I have given my all to things that don't deserve it. But even after all this, I continue to question my ability to make decisions on my own. I seek a utopia that I will never receive. I am not perfect, nor is anyone that walks the face of this earth. No one even comes close for that matter. We are problematic, decision making, effort staking, baby making machines that wonder aimlessly until otherwise guided by someone who is a step or more ahead in the walk of life.
Alas, the final though and idea. Proclaiming security is profound nowadays. There is too much going on around the world for us to put our guard down. Comfort within a social environment can become just as difficult as time passes due to the first two ideas in this section. People are ever changing, ever rule breaking, and never misplacing a thought or idea if they want it birthed bad enough. So security is slim. But to find comfort in yourself, not necessarily knowing who you are, but being comfortable with the fact that your existence is inevitable (until otherwise noted by the grim reaper), is the first and foremost step that draws you closer to comfort with others.
-Quixotic-