Who Are You?

Have you ever sat around and asked yourself, “Who am I?”. We all do at some point in our lives. If someone asked you, how would you answer?

Part of growing up and figuring out the world we live in is determining who we are as individuals. It is not as easy as it seems, especially with the many challenges young people today are dealing with. Add to it the complexities of family situation, sexual orientation, or gender, and it really begins to snowball into an unmanageable mess. It is not surprising that many people are struggling with their mental health, especially young people.

Since I’m no expert in the field, full disclaimer, if you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, please seek professional help. A family physician or a therapist may be of help, or at the very least be able to point you in the right direction to someone who can. There are trained professionals who can help you through a rough time. There’s no need to suffer in silence.

There are many aspects to determining who we are. The following are 7 factors that have an influence:

1. Upbringing and Family Life: The environment a person is raised in can influence who they become.
2. Social Relationships: A person’s family or the people they hang around with can influence who they are.
3. Cultural Background: Cultural influences such as ethnicity, language, or traditions can have a significant influence on who they are.
4. Values and Beliefs: These help shape a person’s morale and ethical values, directly influencing their behaviour.
5. Interests: Interests, hobbies, and passions have a significant influence on who a person is.
6. Goals and Ambitions: These can help a person determine who they want to be.
7. Personality: Certain traits and behaviours help determine how a person reacts to the world.

If you know who you are, your positive traits, and the things you need to work on, do you know how you stack up against everyone else, and does it matter? The short answer is “No”. It doesn’t really matter what others think, especially if they are not part of your immediate family and friends. It doesn’t make any difference at all. That’s a difficult concept for a young person, but take it from someone who’s been around for a while, as you get older, you’ll care less and less about what others think.

Determining your self-identity shouldn’t be determined by the people you surround yourself with. I can’t think of anything more fake than trying to be what others want you to be. You have to be yourself, authentic and true to you and no one else?