Mapping Your Personal Identity
I was looking at some of my papers I did for my Social Psychology class and wanted to post them here. When I was reading through the notes and did some thinking, there was certain areas that I haven’t fully accepted what molded my identity. Sometimes I don’t want my past to define me or still take over my mental space. Even if I try, I have to understand that it is a part of me and I have to find peace in that. There are some up sides in this paper, this was a good exercise and reflection. I want to admit that this year, I was not the person I wanted to be nor did I like the person I was this year. In some way, I felt like I was not being fully myself, something was holding me back or I was lying to myself about certain situations. When I get this way, I tend to shut down and try to isolate myself, I feel like everyone is against me. As easily that can be, I refuse to block myself and keep going. Since the New Year is up ahead, I can take this chance to do better and try again. Reading this paper was nice to remember how my Identity started out.
Early Influences
A significant moment in my childhood that shaped a better understanding of myself was in Highschool when a friend told me that I remind her of the Sun because I am always positive and in high spirits. I had a good high school experience since I got involved with many curricular activities and sports, I was usually in a good mood at school. My love language is giving gifts so I would give my friends small gift, I enjoyed seeing my friends happy. The social roles that took influence during this time was my friends; they knew the struggles I was going through and would always find ways to make me laugh. This moment impacted my understanding of my identity because in my head, I did not view myself as someone that is positive and uplifting. Having a good back bone (family and friends) and being involved in school helped me become the identify that made me shape into the identity I knew then and now.
Personal Narratives
An experience I encountered that changed to the self-perception I have now is the year of 2022. I will never forget the events that happened and how much of an impact it made on my identity and how I view myself. I did not love who I was, I felt negative about life and lost. One of the most tragic events that happened during that year was when my friend Alexia passed away because she had the courage to speak up about what her stepdad was doing, and he decided to shoot her. I was in shambles and did not understand why she was taken away at the age of 16. I felt like if I spoke up or checked on her more then I wouldn’t feel so guilty for taking advantage the time I had with her. I felt like I have a duty to make sure that troubled young people have someone that can bring a safe place to them, so I decided to become a therapist for teens/young adults. This shifted my perspective on how I hold my myself, how do I affect people based on how well I know my behaviors? I did not like where I was and was not goal oriented. During that time, I was pretty much clueless with where I stood in life. I was being challenged on what I was going to do for myself, so, I started to go to the gym and get my health back in check and I started to look more into my career. Taking on these two life changing choices has helped me become disciplined with having the courage to take that step towards where I wanted to achieve.
Cultural Influences
Being raised in a big family has influenced me to love being a part of a big family or be close with my siblings. I was raised in a traditional Mexican household, being surrounded by Mexican culture has made me prideful in being a Latina. I grew up learning how to make corn and flower tortillas, having family gatherings every Sunday, going to the mesquite, having ban dulce con café with the family, having a pinata during birthday parties, etc. Being a part of a big Mexican family has affected my values and beliefs by wanting to continue having family gathers with my siblings and pass down family traditions in our generation.
Current Identity
How I would define my identity now is someone that is discovering more about herself in her profession. Over the summer I started to read Carl Jung, I discovered that philosophers and poets were a big influence in his thinking. Jung believed that poets and philosophers understood more about symbolic exploration of the soul which Jung believe that psychology wasn’t just about clinical science but that there was something rooted in our souls. So, this has led me into looking more into poetry and philosophy. I wasn’t interested in any of those two subjects until I started to look more into Carl Jung. This has changed the roles I play by being apart an English honors society called SKD and joining a philosophy class. Being a part of literature and philosophy has help me form a new identity which is an aspiring poet and philosopher.
Conclusion
As my identity was being broke down by early influences, personal narratives, cultural identity and my current identity it has helped me rise on understanding where I come from because of my past and current life changes. This is helping me understand how to navigate in the social world by being apart on what is going to help me become a good therapist and what other areas will influence me with psychology as I go on in the years.
