Of course, to find yourself may be used either metaphorically or literally, depending on context:
- to find yourself somewhere or someplace (literally)
- to find your Self / yourself (metaphorically)
Personally I would phrase it, "your Self", because I find the psychological meaning most relevant, but it is sometimes used poetically ("yourself"). An example would be this song, which uses the phrase both literally and metaphorically, in order to dramatize the subject's spiritual transformation. The contrast between identification with materialism vs. with a more spiritually inclined attitude is nicely expressed in the lyrics:
Find Yourself by Brad Paisley (Youtube video)
When you find yourself [literally]
In some far off place
And it causes you
To rethink some things
You start to sense
That slowly you're becoming someone else
And then you find yourself [metaphorically]
When you make new friends
In a brand new town
And you start to think
About settling down
The things that would have been lost on you
Are now clear as a bell
And you find yourself [metaphorically]
That's when you find yourself [metaphorically]
Well you go through life
So sure of where you're heading
And you wind up lost
And it's the best thing that could happen
‘Cause sometimes when you lose your way
It's really just as well
‘Cause you find yourself [metaphorically]
That's when you find yourself [metaphorically]
When you meet the one
You've been waiting for
And she's everything
That you want and more
You look at her
And you finally start
To live for someone else
And then you find yourself [metaphorically]
That's when you find yourself [metaphorically]
We go though life
So sure of where we're heading
And then we wind up lost
And it's the best thing that could happen
Sometimes when you lose your way
It's really just as well
Because you find yourself [metaphorically]
Yeah that's when you find yourself [metaphorically]
Songwriters: Brad / Douglas Paisley
Find Yourself lyrics © Walt Disney Music Company