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“What we know matters but who we are matters more.”
- Brene Brown
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Knowing who you are is something that can take a lifetime to figure out, but it’s never too early to begin.
Identity; noun: the fact of being who or what a person or thing is.
Who you are begins with everything you’ve ever experienced in life, every moment you live through (no matter how big or small) influences your character and the person you are today. In this chapter you will learn why knowing who you are is so significant. Learning who you are is a journey that very few people can help you with.
You may be thinking "who cares if I know who I am" or "I'm still too young to know." Matter of the fact is everyone cares who you are. If you don't know who you are you lose the ability to sculpt yourself to an even better person. You become the person that no one really knows, because you don't even know yourself. So instead of allowing people to define you it is up to you to show others who you are. If you don't feel like you truly know who you are then you aren't alone.
If you don't know who you are you can begin by finding the answers to these questions:
- how do I interact with others?
- what activities do I like?
- how do I handle certain situations?
- what's my personality like?
- do I learn from my mistakes?
Are you in denial about who you are? Or don't like the person you've become? It's okay. The first step is realizing that you are not completely content with yourself. The second step is knowing what about yourself you want to change, it may include anything from being a better friend to being able to present yourself professionally. The third step is taking the initiative to change yourself. This step is probably the hardest because it requires things such as getting out of your comfort zone, or you may not know how to change yourself. Changing yourself can start with anything from trying new activities, making new friends or even concurring a fear. By trying these few new things you can only imagine the ways it can change you. Change is an element of life, of maturing and growing up.
Take me for example. I'm hard of hearing. In my earlier years of high school I wasn't always so eager to share that with people. I was embarrassed and assumed that my fellow classmates would be quick to assume things about me. I also was supposed to be using an FM system which is designed to help me hear in class. But because of fear of being looked at differently I refused to raise my hand to give it to the teacher, and did my best to avoid questions about it. Today I have abandoned that those thoughts and fears. It took time to realize what what best for me and now I am able to proudly advocate for myself. I have also decided to expand as I search for the many possibilities of who I can become by attending Gallaudet University in the fall, a predominantly deaf university. I couldn't be more happy with myself in the choices I've made concerning my hearing loss.
As you've leavened in this chapter knowing who you are is crucial to be able to develop as person through your years of high school. This is your time to lose yourself and find yourself again, as you get to discover who you are. The following chapters will help you understand who you are and how to sculpt yourself into an even better person.
Written by Doris Alcantara
Written by Doris Alcantara