Written by Anhayla Stanley

What does it mean to be who you are?

We hear that phrase tossed around so much online with the premise being that you should accept yourself. 

However, it’s a tricky phrase because you may not wish to be the person you are now.

What if you were born in poor circumstance and you wish to make a different life for yourself? 

What if you want to break free from negative habits and redefine what you believe? 

When we are born…we’re given a name, a race, a gender and an ethnicity. From there we’re given social constructs of what we can be and what we can’t. Then, as age comes upon us, we learn what’s suitable and what’s not. 

We learn to label and put ourselves into categories based on our appearance and how we act. The only problem with labels are that they don’t always allow for growth. They can keep you limited and pressured to confine to stereotypes and misconceptions assigned to your particular group. 

Be careful when you use “I am” before any adjective because when you say you are something…you own it. 

For years, I told myself I wasn't consistent. It eventually became a part of my identity, and soon enough, I started to believe and defend it. 

I would start things then stop. I would be passionate about a project then quickly lose interest. I didn't believe I could follow through with anything because at the core I didn't believe in myself. 

One day, a friend told me that what they liked about me was my consistency.  When I heard that, everything within me tried to convince myself that they were lying. When I finally asked for an explanation, they said I was consistent because i’ve been sharing the same message of hope for so long.  When I looked at the evidence…I realized they were right. 

I’ve always had a heart to give….to leave something behind in this world. I’ve made mistakes before, I’ve failed at some projects and quit others prematurely. Even in all that I've done…none of these things make me who I am. 

This made me think…maybe who you are runs deeper than society determines. Maybe it has nothing to do with your career, your skin color, your accomplishments and all of your other surface attributions.  Maybe it has EVERYTHING to do with the qualities that no one can see — The most inner parts of your personality that fight daily to be seen. 

Discovering who you are means detaching all of the labels and “branding” the world has giving you and reconnecting with your inner self. You don't have to search far — everything is within you.

Give yourself space to grow by redefining who you are. Your soul is pure and untainted by this world. Reconnect to the innocence of who God made you. There is peace in being your most authentic true self.

Be who you are….be who God made you to be.