Who are you? It’s a simple question, but all of us have different ways to define it within ourselves, and more importantly different ways to express it to others. Some of us use our careers and occupations to let others know who we are. Others use nationality, religion, sexual preference, academic achievements, athletic achievements, performing arts and social status. But do all these variables encapsulate who we ‘really’ are? Is the minimization of who we are compared to what we do for a living or any of the other above mentioned characteristics fabricating a false sense of self and destroying the ability to genuinely exist?
Who are you? At some point in a long line of epiphanies, failures and successes, we resonate who we believe we are to the rest of the world and the rest of the world labels you based on said epiphanies, failures and successes. We are a product of everything we have done and experienced, but only a sample of those experiences is what we choose to emulate (or not emulate). This process of emulation is a choice made throughout our existence and the practice of said emulation(s), over and over, throughout one’s life, is what inherently makes us who we are, but not necessarily who we want to be, or need to be, or even, who we should be.
Who are you? There are quite a few variables, which prevent people from emulating who they ‘truly’ are. Social pressure, religious pressure, occupational pressure and basically any of the former variables mentioned that people use to describe themselves to others offer a distortion of the true self. Sure, you work at this job. Sure, you are this sexual orientation. Sure, you are this ethnicity. But you are much more! It is that ‘much more’ we have neglected. We are satisfied fitting into labels, groups and subsections of society and even though people may fit into those groups and subsections, we are ‘much more’ than the traits those groups categorize us with.
Who are you? Whoever you are, you are more than your labels, groups and subsections. You are everything you have ever experienced. You are the movies, music, literature, TV shows you have seen and read. You are every action and the cause and effect those actions have had on the world and people around you. Don’t let the world define you with a category. Don’t hold back your true self based on stigmatisms and barriers. Never label yourself. Don’t minimize yourself to what others expect.
Who are you? You are much more.