Who I Am I

There are many factors that shape us into who we are, and who we will become. Some of these factors we can control, while others we cannot. While we are born into many traits of our identities, much of our other behavior is learned. My identity, for example, is “based not only on responses to the question ‘Who am I?’ but also on responses to the question ‘Who am I in relation to others?’” (Allen, 2011, p. 11). My identity and the question of who I am, are both influenced by many aspects of my life, including my hometown, my family, my friends, and my beliefs and moral values.

Identity, the fact of being who or what a person is, shapes a large part

Who I am? Personally, I believe that a person’s identity can take only one of two routes. One, a person’s identity can change within that person’s life. Who I am now, is not necessarily who I was when I was younger. Experience can and will likely modify our identities. Therefore, experience can solidify our personal identification or it can weaken our personal identification. And as such, individuals and their perspectives are always evolving, or at the very least, they should evolve over time. Although there are some identities that evolve throughout one’s lifetime; there are some identities that remain consistent. Two, some identities cannot and will not change. So identities are socially and/or politically forces upon you, some identities are genetically assigned to you, and some you choose to keep. No matter the reason or reasons, these identities have been and will be consist within your lifespan. But, how you deal with them is up to you as an individual.

“We are not born knowing who we are or what our place is in the social landscape; we learn to be American or Japanese, male or female, husband or wife, or Amy, Richard, Micheal, Rachel, or Rebecca.” Our identities are constructed by this “social landscape”. The social construction of identity takes place by living life through first hand experiences and through certain social circumstances. Amartya Sen says,” Classification is certainely cheap, but identity is not. More interestingly, whether a particular classification can plausibly generate a sense of identity or not must depend on the social circumstances.” Identity is a complex matter but can be defined in simple terms. It is who you are. Your personality, the way you act in response to

Our identity can sometimes be shaped by the way others see us. As we have seen, the way in which others view us can have some sort of impact on how we see ourselves. There are also other contributing factors such as our years of adolescence, the basic human need of wanting to belong and maturing; all play an equally important part in the forming of our character and who we are. On balance it appears that there is not only one influence in the shaping of our identity, but there are many.

Identity is a very in depth topic that explores someone’s inner self, simply putting it; identity is what makes you the way that you are. I have honestly never pondered this question in such depth. So receiving this essay, it was bittersweet, I have never pondered this question before, but on the other hand, being the age that I am it is important to understand my identity so this is a good opportunity to do so. While pondering this question, I have found that my identity consists of different elements that contribute to who I am. These elements include my religion, my character traits, talents, environment, and my aspirations and my passions. These elements influence the choices I make that strengthen and broaden my identity.

In her study, Josselson found that Identity Achievers break psychological ties to childhood and form separate, distinct identities (Evans, Forney, Patton, Renn, Guido, & Quaye, 2016, p. 294). They take pride in themselves and rely on their own accomplishments for their self-esteem rather than on the approval of parents which often causing deliberate distancing from them. They seek internal affirmation as opposed to external approval. The major theme in this group is independence. As I reflect on who I am today, I connect with Josselson's description of an identity achiever.

“Personal identity” is the concept you develop about yourself and is something that evolves over the course of your life, shaping it along the way1. A person can innately possess intersecting identities based on factors or aspects in their life, some of which they have control over and others over which they do not what so ever. For me, personally, there are multiple aspects or elements that make up my identity and define me as a human being. Further, we explore how ethnicity & religion and gender & ability has influenced my life and how the “The Gender Similarities Hypothesis” authored by Janet Shibley Hyde points out flaws in the gender norms that society has placed but

When we first enter this world we enter as blank slates, we have yet to become the person we are meant to be. However, as we progress through life we begin to experience both negative and positive experience which help form and shape us into who we are. This process is called identity formation and although it was believed the process of Identity Formation ended once one entered their adult years it is now believed that Identify Formation continues throughout one’s lifetime (Broderick, P. C., & Blewitt, P 2015). The situations or experiences that individuals will experience throughout their lifetime will usually vary from person to person. However, the situations or experience an individual goes through is grouped into 3 categories age-graded,

One’s identity is who or what a person is and how they are perceived by themselves and others. Your identity defines who you are and where you fit in. It is a self-representation of your interests, relationship, social activity and much more. Some believe our sense of identity and belonging is shaped by various factors, including our experiences, relationships, and our environments. Conversely, others believe that personality is shaped by nature, and that one is defined by their biological characteristics and hereditary traits passed down from previous generations. Nevertheless a combination of both nature and nurture shapes us throughout life. For a majority of the population their journey to find their identity and belonging can often

A person’s life is made up of an impossibly unique combination of moments, interactions, and relationships, all of which amalgamate to create a human with an identity unlike any other in the world. When looking at a person’s life up close, it almost appears as if their identity is something that has been relatively constant throughout their life, however, if a person’s life is looked at a through a more holistic perspective, it’s easier to see how specific events, people, and relationships in their life made them who they are today. For this assignment, I was tasked with conducting in-depth interviews pertaining to life experiences and identities with another member of the class. Through the interview process, hidden sentiments arose, truths were revealed, and I had the opportunity to see the different ways in which my identity was formed. In analyzing these interviews, I found that through using the works of influential identity theorists, Daniel J. Canary, Michael J. Cody, Valerie L. Manusov, Jan E. Stets, and Peter J. Burke, I was able to dissect my interview and correlate specific instances of my past to aspects of my current identity, specifically my independent, self-assured, and open-minded disposition.

“Identity is not inherited. It is shaped by circumstance and sensitivity and resistance to self-pity.” by Dorothy West. Identity is something that throughout our history people have struggled with. Identity is such a big part of us. It is who we are, we are born with these identities whether we know we are or not and over our life we change them or transform them for better or for worse. Identity is something that plays a big part in “Who are you”, “This is water”, and “The Culture of Shut Up” because in the end all they give some lessons that are important to finding your identity or about your identity in general. Finding your identity always comes with hardships but, in the end, there is always a lesson to be learned.

When I think back to why I am who I am, I think back to my childhood and what memories have stuck in my mind. They often come up in certain situations as a reminder to never forget the people that love me, or the places that I love that influence my choices and the road to my future goals. I try my best to follow advice and recollect on the important things in life, like zipping up my coat or enjoying time with my family, making the best out of situations and thinking positively. I remember repetitive smells or touch that one day added to my mind and never left, that will always be a part of me, Now I am eighteen and in college, about to start a new chapter my life and compose new memories with new people. Thinking back now makes me wonder what it will be like to think back years from now to these moments that im making now, and how I will connect them all.

Self-identity is a concept that envelops how an individual views themselves and also how an individual varies from others in micro, mezzo and macro environments. As I explored my own self-identity I had to reflect on life-changing memories as well as expose some skeletons in my closet. Throughout this paper, I identify parts of my past and upbringing and how they impacted my self-concept and identity.

On the surface, it may seem like I have a perfect life, and in some ways that is true. I have been blessed to grow up in a supportive household and never had to wonder where my next meal was coming from. I have had a robust set of friends since a young age, and a personality for the stage. I grew up with an older brother, who is now my best friend, and two loving parents. My parents worked their entire lives to put me in the position I am in now. Not only did my parents majorly influence me, but my grandparents also profoundly impact my cultural identity. I am a Caucasian female who grew up in the middle-upper class. However, that is not the same story for my parents and grandparents. The struggles that the two generations