Who are you? Do you know? or is it possible you only think you know?
When asked 'Who are you?, we normally respond by giving our name or explaining what we do or we may give a selection of characteristics.....some of us may answer with a question 'What do you mean, who am I, in what sense?' But, whatever the answer, is it really who we are?
Most of us have names we have been given either at birth or in marriage. There are a few unique inidviduals who have chosen their own names...now that is being who they are...great! inspiring! but given or taken what does our name say about us?
What does YOUR name mean? Do you know? Do you care?
Who ARE you?
Why do you live where you live and how do you live? is it your preference? Did you decide or did someone make the decision for you? were you really FREE to choose? were you influenced by finances or 'keeping up with the Joneses' or possibly even swayed by the Media?
I believe most of the time we allow familiarity to lead us. We react to family traits by doing the same or the exact opposite to what we are used to. How many of us are doing 'differently', real difference not a compare or contrast just completely different and new? Are we utilising our own preference, uninfluenced by others? If we live with someone, to freely agree to choose an option together, is having our preference. if togetherness is our preference 'of course'. If not, well 'you need to talk'.
Who are you....REALLY?
What are you wearing? How many of us are wearing what we have to or at least that is what we think or feel we have to do in the Office, Factory, Farm, Ship, Hospital or wherever we work? Sometimes, we have specialist clothing we are required to wear but what about other times outside the work environment e.g. socially? Are we being ourselves or are we being someone else?
Are you, what you are wearing? Do you match your appearance? WHO are you?
How do you describe yourself? Kind, funny, cool, handsome, pretty, fat, thin, loud, shy, young, old, 'the life of the party', 'the wallflower', smooth, a flirt, quiet?
Are the words we use our words or the words of others? Are we really funny or isit what others have said about us and we accept it, embrace it, live it?
Do YOU agree with your own description of yourself?
We need to know who we are to truly explore and discover our own preferences. No more suppression, passivity or hiding. Are YOU hiding?
As a child, I always felt my favourite colour was 'Blue'. Later in life I realised that there were many colours in the world, far beyond the colour palette we are given. So, is Blue my favourite colour now...no!
The more I understand about myself, the more empowered I have become. All the words given to me in life do not belong to me. Some belong to my family, some to friends, some to associates, some even to strangers. I need to know myself well enough to tell these words apart!
Sounds easy......? well I encourage you all to look at your preferences again, and again. The simplest things in life seem to be the most challenging to accomplish successsfully..like loving ourselves and loving others.
In life the seasons change and so do we. Find yourself and keep embracing the real 'YOU', even as you change. Make your own prefereces. Use your own words to describe 'YOU'. Select clothes to dress 'YOU'. Use your own creativity where you work, where you live and in all that 'YOU' do.
So, Who are you ......really?
I guess in life the first people we know are our parents, so they have a big influence and play a big part in what they want us to be or to become. They show us how to dress, what to eat and shape what we do for a season. We then go to school, and have another influence which could be from friends, teachers and the world around us. As we become adults we begin to make our own choices.
ReplyDeleteI did smile when you mentioned people that have chosen their own names. My mind boggles when I hear some of the names given to babies in society today! There will be rush at the 'Deed Poll' office in years to come.
Sometimes it can be a hard thing becoming independent especially when you have relied on others to always make your decisions. Fear can stop you expressing your real self to the world around you due to what others may say or do. Walking around looking like a punk rocker in a conservative little town is considered brave when you're on your own, unless you have the confidence to do it.
Nice Post De Scribe
Food for thought at every level! To deconstruct and analyse. To stop and honestly be able to be answerable and honest with one self about 'Who is the real YOU'. Secondly if you have knowingly or unknowingly worn the cloak of what others have said about you and then empower self by un-layering ourself, being naked & being comfortable in our own skin and then adorn ourselves as we choose to, by keeping, ditching & constructing was we so desire.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post De Scribe.