Identity Essay Example: What Makes Us Different
Of seven and a half billion people in this world, what makes each of us different from each other? Our identities differentiate us from others, and are the reason we are all unique in our own way. We may hold many identities, as we identify ourselves as many different things. For instance, you could identify yourself as a student, a friend, and a sister at the same time. Our identities are made up by what we believe in, our strengths and weaknesses, our experiences, and the people that have made an impact on our lives.
Although our identity is about who we are, our surroundings can play a big role in shaping our identity, and can greatly impact what we think of ourselves. Our family is the biggest and the most important influencer of how we think of ourselves. At a young age, when our identities begin to form, we often look up to our family members, and part of our identity is formed under their influence. Children depend on this bond, and having a healthy family is essential to the child thinking positively about themselves. For example, if someone was abused in their childhood, they may grow up with a negative image of themselves.
However, although our background may affect our identity, it does not define who we are as a person. Sometimes, to “fit in”, we present a different version of ourselves in order to get people to like us or accept us. This may commonly be misinterpreted as who we are. However, our identity should be made up of things that we enjoy doing, and the people that we are naturally. Additionally, pretending to be someone you are not may result in not being sure of your own identity, which can cause you to go down the wrong path, or to become uncertain in what you want to achieve in life.
Our identity is not fixed; it continues to grow and develop through our life, as we learn more and experience more things that add to who we are. Our identity continues to change along with our age; who I believed I was in fourth grade is quite far from who I believe I am today. I believe that everyone is special, and as are their experiences. My experiences have helped me learn much more about myself, and have shaped me into who I am today. These experiences and memories form a big part of my identity, and I am thankful for each of these moments, good and bad.
I value my most troublesome experiences the most, because these moments are the ones in which I can learn the most from. I think what makes me, me aren't only the things that I'm good at or the things that I do right. In reverse, what makes me, me are my imperfections. If everyone in this world was perfect, there would be nothing left to differentiate us from other people with. Our imperfections make us unique and different from others. Our flaws represent our past and how that has shaped us into who we are now. They represent how we have overcome our struggles, how we’ve been through ups and downs, and how we’ve learned from these experiences and came back stronger.
Talking about myself
My personality and experiences are not the only things that make me, me. The things I enjoy doing, and the people around me are also part of my identity. As I mentioned earlier, family is very important to a child’s growth, so I’m lucky to have grown up in a healthy family and a safe country, providing me with many opportunities to do the things that I like doing. My mother was a psychiatrist, and she always brought home psychology books and taught me a lot about them, which sparked my interest in psychology. When I was young, I remember being able to lay in bed and stay still for hours, replaying everything that happened on that day, and creating scenarios of what could have happened. I constantly think of what I could’ve done better, and how things could’ve gone. Although people say it’s great to dream big, this is also one of my worst qualities, as I’m often so caught up in my dreams that I forget about the real world.
Everyone has their own identity, which is what makes us so much different from everyone else. We all have different appearances, but what really differentiates us from others are our beliefs, experiences, and our personalities. Many factors can influence who we think we are, but they cannot define us as a person. In the end, we choose who we get to be, and what we believe in; and that is what makes us, us.
