Many things contribute to the way we define ourselves. Some we have no choice on, like where you’re born, while others we get to define, like an affiliation with a political party.
We tend to think of the events of our past as something in the “no choice” category. They happened and we can’t change how it’s affected us, right? But what if you can change the way your past impacts your identity?
How would you know what kind of friends you prefer, what type of work you enjoy, or what you like in a partner until you’ve given it a try? From the foods we love to the situations that are uncomfortable, it’s all information we picked up through past experience.
Past experiences become the lens through which we view life and ourselves.
Finding the better story
The story we tell ourselves about who we are and how we are is a mindset. A mindset is a habitual perspective - a story we tell ourselves over and over. It is a way of seeing things.
The good news is, habits are changeable. It just takes a little commitment. Your perspective of your identity is the foundation of your self-esteem. Many people want to improve their sense of confidence and self-esteem. One powerful way of doing that is to develop a new perspective, or habit of mind, on who you are as a result of your past.
No matter how negatively a past experience has impacted you, the very fact that you’re still here makes you a survivor. Even if you struggle, your tenacity allows you to keep going.
Learn how to cast yourself as the hero of your own story in my latest article, published by YourTango: