Ever wondered what you look like through your friend’s eyes?
What would they say if someone asked them to describe you?
Understanding this can be like looking in a kind of mirror – one that reflects not just our face and body but our personality, our strengths, our peculiarities, and maybe even some stuff we’d rather keep hidden!
Our identity, or who we think we are, is like a puzzle.
It’s made up of lots of different pieces, all fitting together to create a full picture. A picture of YOU.
Some pieces come from us – our feelings, our likes and dislikes, our dreams.
Other pieces, however, are given to us by people who know us. They see us in ways we might not see ourselves and add their pieces to our puzzle.
Let’s imagine your friend, Dhruv. How would different people in Dhruv’s life describe him?
You see, his close friends might say, “He’s a pain in the a** and he always got a joke ready to make me laugh. And nothing ever gets him down!”
Dhruv’s work buddies might have a different view. They might say, “He is hard-working, always coming up with new ideas, and is dedicated to his job.”
And what about Dhruv’s parents? They might describe him as “always been a good son. He’s caring, and he always looks out for other people.”
See? Different people see different sides of him, like looking at a diamond.
But all of these sides together make him who he is.
But here’s the thing, what people say about us doesn’t make us who we are completely.
Just because Dhruv’s friend says he is funny doesn’t mean he is a comedian. And just because his coworkers think he’s hardworking doesn’t mean he can’t enjoy a lazy Sunday!
We also have a say in who we are.
We can decide to change, grow, or try new things.
We can look at ourselves and say, “I don’t want to be just the funny guy,” or “I want to be more than just hardworking.”
Plus, people change!
We aren’t the same people today as we were yesterday.
Our interests might change.
You might learn new things, you might even change your hair color if you have any!
So, our identity, our sense of who we are, is always changing.
So next time you wonder how others see you, remember – you’re not just looking at a reflection of yourself, but also a reflection of their thoughts and experiences.
Sure these reflections of them of you are part of the puzzle, but they don’t complete it. You do!
You are the most important piece in your puzzle.
