- Published: September 24, 2022
- Updated: September 24, 2022
- Level: Doctor of Philosophy
- Language: English
- Downloads: 8
There have been several times I manage to observe that my behavior is modified depending on the manner by which I perceive an arriving stimulus and respond to it correspondingly.
I used to suppose that ‘ being real to oneself’ simply meant going by the nature I am without needing to pay regard to the impact of society, thinking that the concept of self is understood just once in a lifetime. Along with this misconception is the belief that former foundations bear the sole responsibility of substantiating the self, yet by objective and subjective learning alike, self-identity formation actually proceeds and may not be confined only to a few aspects of growth. Until I had come to the point of discerning that ‘ sense of self’ is yielded through a process of evolution, it often felt complex to deal with knowing myself and what the exact meaning is of a true self in the past. To this extent, I have thus realized by far that human interactions or communication schemes portray a huge role in creating a person’s identity which continues to evolve with time and socio-cultural influences.
When I experienced serious infatuation with a person for a couple of years and thought I would never get over the hurtful feeling toward the fact that the person betrayed my confidence, I unconsciously allowed myself to seek alternatives to divert my unpleasant emotions for relief. Out of having to cope with the difficulty of erasing deep-rooted sentiments that had gone through an intense motion, I have become inclined to the love of art the habit of which has eventually made me conduct myself from a totally different perspective and attitude. At this stage, I discover that though certain changes initially occurred peculiar in the course of getting accustomed to the new interest, my other desires and priorities spontaneously shift their ranks. These have all taken place on varied occasions and people with whom my interactive efforts are spent, contributing to the progress of my transforming self.
Earlier in life, I happened to have gotten engaged in the activities of a community-based environmental organization where I used to participate actively in tree-planting events which even to this day are fascinating to me. The major issue, however, was the time I sought the opportunity to lead a team in a specific project that appeared quite extra appealing than usual so I exerted impressive work and exhibited potentials I assumed the majority would highly appreciate. It turned out during the election that most members voted for the person who back then was most prominent due to grounds that had nothing to do with our prevailing cause. My paradigm consequently shifted upon learning from this cold tragedy and this further rendered me to adjust my expectations and come up with fresh standards that would newly constitute my self-fulfilling prophecies. On finding that not merely remarkable performance pays off as I had always seen it, my self-awareness moves to acknowledge fulfillment in a different light at which I possess a self that values beyond skills and knowledge the essence of popularity attached thereof. Conclusion More than merely satisfying the fundamental necessity of establishing relations and gaining knowledge, communicating with people has made me acknowledge the truth that my self-concept is constantly evolving. It feels like having come to the point of confidence and resolution that the diversity of culture and the distinct ways by which different people express themselves altogether contribute stimuli in space to which I could respond and thereby figure how much I change or maintain the behavior in the process. By learning that human interactions are quite essential in determining how they affect my response to various situations in life, I become less bothered about the issue of identity and understanding its complex nature.