If someone were to ask you, “Who you are?” what would you reply?
Would you give them your name, address, and Social Security number?
Would you state your occupation? Would you list your most appealing qualities?
To me the question, Who Am I? has both an infinite number of answers and a single answer.
We are, on one hand, constantly changing entities, responding to different forces around us. We are never the same form one moment to moment, we have varying moods and sides to our personalities, and our beliefs are altered by our experiences, we may at any moment discover new passions, new talents and abilities that completely alter the way we perceive ourselves.
On the other hand, we have a collective unconscious as well as our own personal one. Our Self is not who we think we were. Our Self is not our ego. Our Self rather is who we really are, all of us, both the known and the unknown, the integrated and that which is yet to be integrated. Our perception of ourselves is hence our ego, but our true Self is a great deal more.
In other words, what I am trying to say, don’t become attached to any one idea about yourself, and give your ego an occasional rest from having to carry the burden of your identity.
Lead From Within: Know that you are more than the sum of your parts.
Who Am I? One on One – Leading From Within Coaching Intensive.
Of Lolly’s many awards and accolades, Lolly was designated a Top-50 Leadership and Management Expert by Inc. magazine. Huffington Post honored Lolly with the title of The Most Inspiring Woman in the World. Her writing has appeared in HBR, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, and Psychology Today, and others. Her newest book, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness has become a national bestseller.
Rufus
16. Dec, 2009
Another question to explore is WHERE am I? Does place matter and shape WHO you are as much as it used to? Is it a reasonable assumption that one affects the other? Does knowing where someone lives affect a reply, a tweet, etc?
Does a physical address matter? Dunno, but sure worth exploring. I hope you do.
kalyan
16. Dec, 2009
Excellent post ,i will completely agree with you on this article and When we know that there is no I that’s when we really are understanding our self .
Robert "Butch" Greenawalt
16. Dec, 2009
If we remain the sum of our experiences we’re doomed.
If we choose to accept or ignore our own potentials to improve circumstances or self, there is no me.
Teresa Dietze
16. Dec, 2009
Identity is considered the biggest obstacle on the spiritual path. It is The Box, as in thinking outside the box.
The funny thing about ‘thinking outside the box’ is that this too provides only two options, outside and inside. Full-spectrum thinking–which precedes full-spectrum BEing–depends on getting beyond either/or thinking. Box? WHAT box?
You can be in, out, half-in/out, on top, underneath, too big for and standing in with one foot in and one out, holding the box balanced on one foot, etc. This is full-spectrum thinking.
When we give ourselves options and live from CHOICE we initiate creative living. This differs radically from reactive living, when we are at the effect (victims even) of life events instead of taking personal agency. Choice is one of the roots of authenticity.
Lolly Daskal
16. Dec, 2009
Brilliant observation Teresa! An amazing edition to my article. Thank you.
Kim
18. Dec, 2009
“To be is to do”-Socrates; “To do is to be”-Sartre; “Do Be Do Be Do”-Sinatra
Break this down:
1. it is important that i act in my living and in doing such i create my time housed self.
2. within any array of action, i am defined by the limits and abilities of my inner essence – so there is a me defined, no matter what i do.
3. in the end it is about the fun of both and the celebration of the me that is here…
just my two cents. 🙂
Janet Vanderhoof
19. Dec, 2009
Even Jesus said “Who do you say that I am?”. His answer “I’ Am that I Am”. We all become defined by our roles and the roles other put upon us. When I connect to the “I AM” in me than I am complete, everything else is playing with form. Connecting to the I Am opens us to something bigger than ourselves, endless possibilities and unlimited potential.
Very nice blog Lolly!
Lolly Daskal
21. Dec, 2009
Janet, Your insights and beautiful comments are always so insightful.
But the struggle is not about if you are complete or not? The struggle
is do we have a choice in our lives to choose what we want for ourselves
or has our story been written already and now we just have to live it?
Janet Vanderhoof
21. Dec, 2009
Our choices are always made by our actions. We are in constant choice every moment on how we respond, plan or become. God gave us free will. I believe it is a little of both actually, though. Some things we have no control of, but we definitely have the ability to respond any way we prefer. It is our choice to keep our vibration up and be congruent with our needs and desires. It is our choice whether we play victim or have the courage to be all we can be.