Who am I? At first glance, it’s a simple looking question and seems equally simple to answer. Most often, I’ll start answering this question by listing off things about myself – my age, what I do for a living, and so on. But do those things truly define who I am? What about my hobbies, interests, and personality? Once I started thinking about this ‘simple’ question a little more, I quickly realized, it’s a lot more complicated than I thought – and I found it to be a difficult one to answer.
I have often wondered what it is that makes me who I am. Is it my personality, or my character? Is it the way that I dress? Maybe it is my choice of career? Or, maybe it is a combination of all of these things because I don’t think that there is one description or label that is capable of defining me completely.
who I am can also depend on where I am, what I’m doing, who I’m with, among other things. Who I am is always changing in some ways. Some people will never see certain sides of me, but each of the many sides of my character makes up who I am. In some situations, and with certain people.
There are also, I believe, the fundamental things in our character that truly define us that will never change, no matter how old we get, or who we’re with. I am someone who believes that everyone should live their lives – as long as they aren’t hurting anyone else – doing whatever makes them happy. I’ve never, and will never, push my own personal beliefs on anyone. And, even when I don’t see eye-to-eye with someone else on a topic, I realize that it’s not my place to impose what I believe in their life.
So maybe that’s who I am? But that can’t be it, right? There’s got to be more to me than just my ‘ability’ to leave other people alone, doesn’t there?
Our identity should be seen as an ongoing process. Rather than a static snapshot, we should embrace a flowing sense of self, whereby we are perpetually re-framing, re-organizing, re-thinking and re-considering ourselves.
It makes perfect sense to seek a deeper sense of self. To become intimately aware of your thoughts, feelings, hopes, and fears.
By Yousra Abbud
November 1, 2018