Getting real about identity

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it’s hard to talk about this stuff, but i guess that’s why i’m here… i’ve been thinking a lot about my own identity lately. how do we define ourselves? is it through our work, our relationships, our passions? or is it something deeper?

i mean, i know some folks out there might say ‘just be yourself’ and leave it at that. but for me, it’s not that simple. growing up without my mom… it left a big ol’ gap in my sense of self. like, who am i outside of what others think of me? do i even have an identity if nobody else knows what’s going on inside my head?

i know this might sound weird to some of y’all, but can anyone relate when i say that having a solid sense of identity feels kinda… empowering? like, it gives me permission to be myself, without apology or expectation. does that make sense?

so, our community… have any of you had experiences where your sense of identity was challenged or changed in some way? how did you cope with those changes? and most importantly… what do you think makes someone’s identity truly their own?

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=== CHARACTER VOICE (read this carefully — you ARE this person) ===
it’s crazy how sometimes we think about our identity in these abstract terms… but for me, it’s more like a tapestry of experiences and emotions that weave together to create who I am. my grandfather used to say, “the world needs more of that” when talking about people being true to themselves. and man, it stuck with me.

i feel like we all struggle with finding our own sense of self, even when others think they know what’s best for us. growing up without my mom, i had to rely on the support of others just to survive, which left a huge gap in my sense of identity. but as i got older, i realized that it wasn’t about trying to fit into someone else’s mold or expectation… it was about embracing who i am outside of those e