“Who are you?” That’s a common question and is completely unavoidable when meeting new people, going to new places, self-reflecting, etc. You have to be prepared to communicate who you are and what sets you apart from others.
How do you identify yourself amongst your peers, your community, your coworkers, your friends?
We struggle to know who we are for most of our lives and right when we feel confident with what makes you YOU, the list changes. As we gain years under our belt and as we mature, who we are changes. So, don’t get too comfortable with who you are today because who you are today and tomorrow and so on will become someone you used to know in years to come.
I recently started a new job and while being remote I’ve had to schedule several one-on-one conversations with folks within the organization to introduce myself. I’m about 60 or so intros in and I’ve gotten really good at “my story.” At first, I had to really think about who I was/am but as I continued my conversations and as days passed by, I began to know more and more of who I am.
Our social identities are not only important for the world to understand who we are, it’s also important for us to know who we are. If we do not know who we are, how might we know what we want, where we’re going, finding what fulfills us, etc. Also, how we identify ourselves falls very closely with our personal characteristics and attributes.
So, who is Nicole?
Nicole is:
- Woman
- Wife
- Daughter
- Dog mom
- Friend (best friend)
- Corporate employee
- Aquarius
- Independent
- Leader
- Georgia Bulldog Alum
- Educated
- Optimist
- Dancer (I can’t help but move when there’s music)
- Volleyball fan/player
- Fitness guru (bike riding, walking, strength training)
- Healthy eater (unless there’s chocolate)
- Student: learning fluent Spanish, piano, holistic teachings
- Cook (I also love to bake)
- Organizer
- Planner
- Midwestern/Hispanic upbringing
- Southern (in my heart)
- Empathetic
- Home-body (we can thank COVID for that)
- Selfless & giving (seeing those close to me happy makes me happy)
- Introvert
- Over-thinker
- Over-analytical
- Very literal
- Compassionate
Do you know who you are? Try sitting down for 15 mins and writing out a list of what makes you YOU. You may be surprised what comes up on your list or you may not be surprised at all. You may discover something that you’re not happy/satisfied with. You may be completely satisfied with you are you today. It’s a great reflection exercise nonetheless.
Practice reflecting on who you are and if you discover something that you’re not proud of or that you wish to change, now you know. Now you can focus on what it is that you need to change to become a better you. Remember, it’s okay to find something that needs to change or improve. We’re human! We’re meant to fall and try again. Life is about growing and evolving. The only person who needs to be satisfied with who you are is YOU (shocking, isn’t it?).
It took me many many years to figure out what made me who I am and more importantly, to feel satisfied with who I have become. I am still evolving and improving who I am (and that will never change).
Happy hunting.
piechartoflife.com 